Pattern of Cutaneous Manifestations in Polycystic ovarian Syndrome

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disease among women of reproductive age, characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and metabolic abnormalities. Cutaneous symptoms, such as hirsutism, acne, acanthosis nigricans, androgenic alopecia often accompany the condition, but the distribution of these diseases varies among populations. Information about the pattern of these disorders among Bangladeshi PCOS patients is limited. The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency and pattern of cutaneous manifestations in women with PCOS. Methods & Materials: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2025 to June 2026 among 200 PCOS women aged 18-38 years at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka. The sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentation, anthropometric measurements and various cutaneous manifestation were collected. The data were analyzed using statistical software package (SPSS). The Chi-square test was used to see the association between different variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Of the total of 200 women with PCOS, the mean age and BMI were 25.8 +/- 4.6 years and 25.7 +/- 4.2 kg/m2, respectively. Menstrual irregularity was seen in 79.0% and hirsutism in 63.0%. The most common cutaneous manifestations were acne (64.0%), followed by hirsutism (63.0%) and acanthosis nigricans (36.0%). BMI was significantly associated with acne and acanthosis nigricans, while hirsutism was significantly associated with acne and acanthosis nigricans (p<0.05). Conclusion: Cutaneous manifestations were common among women with PCOS, with acne and hirsutism being predominant. Higher BMI was significantly associated with acne and acanthosis nigricans.