NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Women who develop extensive blockages in their coronary arteries may be more likely to have multiple cysts in their ovaries than women with milder heart disease, according to a new study.
Women with polycystic ovaries were also more likely to have specific glandular (endocrine) and metabolism disorders, which researchers say contribute to increased heart disease risk.
The study, conducted in New Zealand, looked at 143 adult female heart disease patients 60 years old or younger. Ultrasound scans (ultrasonography) identified polycystic ovaries in 60 (42%) of the women.
Using angiography (x-ray exams of the coronary arteries), the researchers found that women with polycystic ovaries had a greater likelihood of having serious fatty plaque blockages in more than one coronary artery segment, compared with women whose ovaries were normal --specifically, 46.7% versus 40.2%.
Moreover, the researchers found that those with polycystic ovaries also tended to be excessively hairy (hirsute), had higher blood levels of the male hormone testosterone, and were more likely to have undergone a hysterectomy -- factors the authors say are associated with a greater risk of heart disease in women.
In addition, blood tests showed the women with polycystic ovaries were more likely to have lower levels of HDL cholesterol -- the so-called "good cholesterol" which is considered protective against heart disease.
"Abnormal lipid (blood fat) levels may also account for the increase in significant coronary artery disease," the researchers say.
Tests also showed these women tended to be "insulin resistant" -- a sign of the body's ineffective use of its insulin supply to break down sugars.
"Insulin resistance could be the link between polycystic ovaries and coronary artery disease," state the authors, pointing to the strong association between heart disease and diabetes.
The medical implications of their findings, according to the researchers, are clear.
"Young women with polycystic ovaries often present with hirsutism, acne, infertility, or menstrual irregularity. Once the diagnosis of polycystic ovaries has been made, lifestyle modifications may be indicated to decrease cardiovascular risk," they say.
They also recommend further research aimed at finding out if current hormone treatment for the problem (including oral contraceptives with progesterone) or ovarian surgery can improve an affected woman's chances of avoiding heart disease.
SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine (1997;126(1):32-35)
