A Study on the Clinical and Hormonal Profile of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinological disorder in women of reproductive age and has a considerable metabolic, reproductive, and cardiovascular consequences. This study was designed to provide an overview of the presentation of PCOS in the Nepalese population attending a tertiary care hospital, specifically the clinical presentation and hormonal profile. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between September 14, 2019 to October 16, 2019 on patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital, after obtaining ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee (Dated 03/09/2019) and informed consent from the patient or patient relatives. Data entry and analysis were done in Microsoft Excel 10. The data was statistically analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: The study included 100 PCOS patients. The mean age of the patients was 24.9 ± 4.52 years and the most common group was 26-34 years. The most common presenting symptom was menstrual irregularity which was seen in 86 (86%) of the patients, followed by weight gain in 55 (55%) of the patients. Thirty percent (30 in number) of the patients were overweight, while eleven (11%) of the patients had grade I obesity. Conclusions: PCOS has varying clinical manifestations, most commonly affecting the young women of reproductive age group. The commonest presenting complaint in the current study was menstrual abnormality. Majority of the patients had deranged hormonal profile which can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 DM. Thus, awareness regarding PCOS is important for early diagnosis and to prevent its sequalae to various complications.