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First-degree relatives of women with PCOS showed significantly higher rates of metabolic disorders, revealing a familial cardiometabolic burden.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study published in June 2025 issue of Clinical Endocrinology to examine the cardiometabolic health of first-degree relatives (FDR) of individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).  

They searched across Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, allEBM (Ovid), clinicaltrials.gov, and the WHO ICTRP from inception to 1st November 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, systematic reviews, evidence-based guidelines, and health technology assessments were included if they compared the cardiometabolic health of FDR of women with PCOS to individuals without a family history of PCOS (controls). The primary outcomes assessed were cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiometabolic risk factors. The systematic review and meta-analysis obeyed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.  

The results showed that the search strategy retrieved 20,639 publications, of which 68 articles corresponding to 34 unique studies met the inclusion criteria. The FDRs of women with PCOS had a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio [OR]: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.40–4.45; I²  = 65%; 6 studies; 2059 participants; P= 0.002), hypertension (OR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.08–3.92; I²  = 0%; 3 studies; 302 participants; P= 0.03), and diabetes (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.31–4.62; I²  = 9%; 5 studies; 778 participants; P= 0.005) when compared with controls. Glucose regulation and lipid parameters were also poorer in FDRs of women with PCOS. Most of the studies were rated as holding a moderate risk of bias. No studies have been reported on CVD.  

Investigators concluded that FDR of women with PCOS were at increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders. 

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cen.15294