This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
PCOS increases risk for breathing difficulties
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome appear to have an increased risk for spirometric restriction, researchers reported at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
Diana van der Plaat, PhD, MSc, RESPIRE 3 fellow at the National Heart and Lung Institute of the Imperial College London, and colleagues used an inverse variance-weighted Mendelian randomization method to estimate the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on airflow obstruction and spirometric restriction among 182,619 white women using data from the UK Biobank.
“We tend to think of lung diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as being more common in men and in smokers,” van der Plaat said in a press release. “But a striking proportion of COPD patients have never smoked. In recent years, there has been an increase in lung disease and deaths from lung disease in women.”
Researchers used effect estimates for 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PCOS in European or Asian women. Heterogeneity among SNPs was used to assess pleiotropy, and Mendelian randomization methods adjusted for pleiotropy were used for sensitivity analyses.
Results showed PCOS was associated with a 10% higher risk for spirometric restriction (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.05-1.15) without an indication of pleiotropy (P = .86; I2 = 0). Similar results were seen using adjusted Mendelian randomization methods for pleiotropy and limiting analysis to women without asthma (OR = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.18) or SNPs in European women (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.04-1.16). Estimates were also similar among women with normal weight and overweight (P for interaction = .89). No association was detected between obstructed airflow and PCOS (OR = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.94-1.02).
“PCOS is very common, so it’s important to find out whether this condition is associated with poor lung health,” van der Plaat said in the release. “PCOS can affect different parts of a woman’s body, not only her reproductive organs. We need to do more research to understand why women with PCOS also have poorer lung health.” – by Eamon Dreisbach
Reference:
van der Plaat D, et al. Abstract PA5390. Presented at: European Respiratory Society International Congress; Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2019; Madrid.
Disclosure: van der Plaat reports no relevant financial disclosures.