Effect of body mass index on clinical manifestations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective: To determine whether there is a correlation between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure or clinical features such as hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Method: In this cross-sectional study, 62 women with PCOS were allocated to one of 3 groups according to a BMI range defining normal weight, overweight, or obesity. Blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, Ferriman and Gallwey hirsutism score, and presence of acne were recorded for each participant and the means were compared among groups. Results: The overall mean age was 35.85 ± 5.03 years; BMI, 31.91 ± 6.40; systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 113.02 ± 16.10 mm Hg and 71.79 ± 10.04 mm Hg; waist-to-hip ratio, 0.82 ± 0.07; and hirsutism score, 3.63 ± 4.35. Acne was present in 24 participants. Of these, 8 (33.3%) were overweight and 13 (54.2%) obese. When groups were compared, a progressive and significant increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed from the normal weight to the obese group. Conclusion: We observed a significant and progressive correlation between BMI and both blood pressure and clinical features in women with PCOS.