The relationship between clinical and biochemical characteristics and quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background and objective While has been well demonstrated that clinical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are associated with an impaired quality of life (QoL) in patients, it is unclear that whether the biochemical aspects of PCOS can influence their QoL. We aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical and biochemical characteristics, and various domains of QoL in patients with PCOS. Design A cross-sectional study. Patients and Measurements We assessed the association between clinical and biochemical characteristics and QoL domains (psychosocial-emotional, fertility, sexual function, and obesity-menstrual) in a total of 211 women with PCOS using a specific health-related quality-of-life questionnaire for PCOS patients. Results Our findings showed positive significant association of QoL with age, and its negative significant associations with BMI, hirsutism and infertility (P < 0.05). We also found a negative association between FAI and total QoL (r = -0.14; P = 0.042) and domains of hirsutism (r = -0.14; P = 0.045) and obesity-menstrual (r = -0.23; P = 0.001). DHEAS was positively associated with the sexual function aspect of QoL (r = 0.20; P = 0.043). There were no significant associations between QoL and other hormonal parameters including LH to FSH ratio and total testosterone (tT). Significant associations were found between triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL and HDL cholesterol, and domain of obesity-menstrual of QoL. HOMA-IR was significantly related to all QoL domains except self-image and hirsutism. Conclusion Although biochemical markers can influence QoL in patients with PCOS, clinical manifestations of this syndrome such as obesity, infertility and hirsutism seem to play roles in worsening QoL, in particular for psychosocial domains. Hence, clinicians should regularly assess the clinical and psychosocial dimensions of PCOS as well as biochemical aspects.