Metabolic syndrome in young women with the polycystic ovary syndrome: revisiting the threshold for an abnormally decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol serum level

Please cite this paper as: Dewailly D, Contestin M, Gallo C, Catteau‐Jonard S. Metabolic syndrome in young women with the polycystic ovary syndrome: revisiting the threshold for an abnormally decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol serum level. BJOG 2010;117:175–180. Objective To verify whether the adult threshold for an abnormally decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) serum level (0.5 g/l) is appropriate in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design Retrospective analysis of a database. Setting Academic Hospital. Population A total of 854 women aged 16–40 years having PCOS according to Rotterdam criteria. Methods Criteria defining the metabolic syndrome (MetS) (increased waist circumference, systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, fasting glycaemia and decreased HDL‐C) were separately analysed and compared in three different subgroups (16–20 years, 20–30 years and 30–40 years). The prevalence of the MetS was calculated using two different thresholds (0.5 and 0.4 g/l) for HDL‐C in the 16–20 years group. Main outcomes measures Prevalence of MetS. Results The prevalence of an abnormal HDL‐C (