Osteosarcopenia in reproductive-aged women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a multicenter case-control study

Context: Osteosarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle and bone mass and/or function usually associated with aging) shares pathophysiological mechanisms with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the relationship between osteosarcopenia and PCOS remains unclear.

Objective: We evaluated skeletal muscle index% (SMI%=[appendicular muscle mass/weight {kg}]×100) and bone mineral density (BMD) in PCOS (hyperandrogenism+oligoamenorrhea), and contrasted these musculoskeletal markers against 3 reproductive phenotypes: (1) HA (hyperandrogenism+eumenorrhea); (2) OA (normoandrogenic+oligoamenorrhea) and, (3) controls (normoandrogenic+eumenorrhea). Endocrine predictors of SMI% and BMD were evaluated across groups.

Design, Setting, Participants: Multicenter case-control study of 203 women (18–48y) in New York State. 

Results: PCOS group exhibited reduced SMI% (mean [95%CI]; 26.2% [25.1,27.3] vs. 28.8% [27.7,29.8]), lower-extremity SMI% (57.6% [56.7,60.0] vs. 62.5% [60.3,64.6]), and BMD (1.11...