Publication:

Study of cutaneous manifestations in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome attending a tertiary care centre

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multisystem metabolic disorder, which has a significant impact on the quality of life as well as fertility.1,2 Acne, hirsutism, androgenetic alopecia, acanthosis nigricans, seborrhea are commonly associated with cutaneous manifestations of PCOS. To identify cutaneous manifestations, their incidence and frequency in patients with PCOS in different age groups.

Methods An institutional based prospective study. Seventy PCOS patients attending out-patient departments of DVL and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, NRI Medical College and General Hospital, Guntur, fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study and examined for the presence of cutaneous manifestations in the two year study period between January 2017 and December 2018.

Results In the present study, 70 patients with PCOS were taken up and the commonest age group affected was 21-25 years (42.8%). Positive family history of PCOS was observed in 12.8%. The commonest cutaneous manifestation was acne vulgaris (57.14 %). Obesity was present in 47.14% of the patients and all of them were found to have striae. Hirsutism was observed in 47.14% of the total patients studied and the majority of them had terminal hair in the chin region and upper lip. Acanthosis nigricans was present in 34.28%, seborrhoea in 21.42% and acrochordons in 17.14% of the patients. Of the 70 patients, 15.7% were overweight and 47.14% were obesity.

Conclusions The cutaneous manifestations of PCOS reserves major role in its management by Dermatologist. Recognizing PCOS in women presenting with hyperandrogenism offers a significant opportunity to begin a life-long conversation about prevention and treatment of a condition that has a multi-system impact on affected women.