Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrine disorder among reproductive age women having negative impact on their health, personal and social live. In scientific literature data on headache in PCOS women are scarce.

Aim of the study: To investigate the frequency of headache and its association with metabolic parameters and diet habits in women with PCOS.

Materials and methods: 114 PCOS women and 80 healthy control women took part in the study. Body weight, height, blood pressure were measured. Hormones, complete blood count, fasting glucose, fasting insulin and lipid profile tests were performed. Information about headache, nutrition habits and physical activity was collected utilizing qualitative frequency questionnaires.

Results: The mean participants’ age was 27.52 ± 3.80 years, the mean BMI was 25.08 ± 6.20 kg/m². 65.5% of studied women complained on headache attacks: 68.5% of them were experiencing tension-type headache, 26.0% of them had migraine. PCOS women experienced headache more frequently than control group’s women (72.8% vs 55.0%, P < 0.010). Rate of tension-type headache were higher in PCOS women than in control group (52.6% vs 33.8%, P = 0.009), rate of migraine didn’t differ between groups. PCOS women more frequently stated, that headache affected their professional live (31.6% vs 18.8%, P = 0.046) and everyday activities (24.6% vs 11.2%, P = 0.020) than controls.

Overweight and obese PCOS women more frequently experienced headache than normal-weight PCOS women (81.5% vs 61.2%, P = 0.016). Being overweight or obese increased odds ratio of having headache 2.8 times (P = 0.018). No difference in headache frequency between healthy overweight and normal-weight women was detected.

Headache rate was lower among PCOS women every day eating whole grain bread and white flour than in PCOS women occasionally eating whole grain bread and white flour (respectively 25.3% vs 48.1%, P = 0.027 and 15.0% vs 32.1%, P = 0.049). Headache rate was higher among PCOS women every day eating potatoes than in PCOS women occasionally eating potatoes (18.5% vs 3.4%, P = 0.039).

Conclusion: PCOS women more frequently have headache affecting professional live and every day activities. Overweight is associated with headache frequency in women with PCOS.