Assessing the intersection of cardiovascular disease, venous thromboembolism, and polycystic ovary syndrome

Introduction: No study has examined how the relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (aCVD), of ischemic stroke (ISCH), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and peripheral vascular disease (PAD), differ in the presence of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Materials and methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis using Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Commercial databases from 2004-2011. The association between women aged 18-64 years with and without PCOS, and aCVD was assessed using VTE-stratified multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: Overall, women with PCOS were more likely to have aCVD, (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.46) especially ISCH (aOR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.30-1.88), than women without PCOS. When stratified by VTE status, women with PCOS and a VTE diagnosis had a decreased odds of having any aCVD (aOR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46-0.98), and VTE diagnosis more often preceded the occurrence of ISCH and AMI among women with PCOS compared with women without PCOS.

Conclusions: Overall, women with PCOS were more likely to have aCVD, with stroke being the most prevalent manifestation. Although VTE often occurred before any aCVD, it appeared to have an inverse association with the development of ISCH, AMI, and PAD among women with PCOS, suggesting that aggressively treating VTE or aCVD early may limit the chances of developing the other thrombogenic condition among women with PCOS.