Type 1 Diabetes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND A few small studies have reported increased prevalences of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and symptoms of androgen excess in women with type 1 diabetes. PURPOSE We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating androgen excess symptoms and PCOS in women with type 1 diabetes. DATA SOURCES The Entrez-PubMed and Scopus electronic databases were used. STUDY SELECTION We selected studies addressing androgen excess signs, symptoms, and disorders in girls, adolescents, and adult women with type 1 diabetes. DATA EXTRACTION The main outcome measures were prevalences of PCOS, hyperandrogenemia, hirsutism, menstrual dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM). DATA SYNTHESIS Nine primary studies involving 475 adolescent or adult women with type 1 diabetes were included. The prevalences of PCOS and associated traits in women with type 1 diabetes were 24% (95% CI 15-34) for PCOS, 25% (95% CI 17-33) for hyperandrogenemia, 25% (95% CI 16-36) for hirsutism, 24% (95% CI 17-32) for menstrual dysfunction, and 33% (95% CI 24-44) for PCOM. These figures are considerably higher than those reported earlier in the general population without diabetes. LIMITATIONS The data collected in the original studies were heterogeneous in age, race, ethnicity, and criteria used for the diagnosis of PCOS; yet, we used a quality-effects model in the meta-analyses to overcome this limitation. CONCLUSIONS PCOS and its related traits are frequent findings in women with type 1 diabetes. PCOS may contribute to the subfertility of these women by a mechanism that does not directly depend on glycemic/metabolic control among other negative consequences for their health. Hence, screening for PCOS and androgen excess should be included in current guidelines for the management of type 1 diabetes in women.