Correlation between the Physical Signs, Clinical Parameters, and the Quality of Life in Young Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: An Explorative Study

Abstract

Aims and objectives: The study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the physical signs, clinical parameters, and the quality of life in young women with PCOS. Materials and methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted among 140 women diagnosed with PCOS. The subjects who attended the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynecology were selected through the kth sampling technique. Baseline information was collected by an interview technique. The following parameters were then noted and assessed: BMI, waist/hip ratio, hirsutism, and acne. The standardized tool, WHOQOL-BREF scale, was used to find the quality of life. Results: The majority of the subjects were between the age-group of 21–25 years (41.4%), and the mean age was 22.0 ± 0.74. Out of 140 PCOS women, 84 of them adopted the sedentary lifestyle category, 88 of women were residing in the urban area, and 106 subjects did not have a family history of PCOS. The total of 52.9% of the subjects were with amenorrhea, 55.8% of them were obese, 66.43% of subjects were with increased waist/hip ratio, 98.58% of the subjects had complaints of hirsutism, and 42.86% of subjects were with mild and moderate types of acne. The mean and SD of quality of life score in various domains were as follows: physical health, 20.07 ± 2.79; psychological health, 16.85 ± 3.06; social relationships, 18.17 ± 1.82; and environment, 40.00 ± 22.73. The overall perception of the quality of life is 22.73 ± 4.20, and the overall perception of satisfaction with health is 2.64 ± 0.89. There was no relationship between the PCOS symptoms and quality of life. Conclusion: The research underlined the poor health-related quality of life. Acne is one of the leading factors that affected the health-related quality of life. Clinical significance: The article is relevant in the present context where our current sedentary lifestyle and stressful living have induced changes among women, causing a sharp rise in the incidence of PCOD.