February 6, 2007 — Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have better cardiopulmonary functional capacity after a 3-month exercise training program, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial reported in the January 30 Ahead of Print issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
"Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disease closely related to several risk factors for cardiovascular disease," write Carlo Vigorito, MD, of the University "Federico II" in Naples, Italy, and colleagues. "An impaired cardiopulmonary functional capacity was previously demonstrated in PCOS women. No data regarding the effects of a structured exercise training (ET) program on cardiopulmonary functional capacity in PCOS women are available."
Ninety young, overweight women with PCOS were randomized to the PCOS-T (trained) group, which underwent a 3-month structured exercise training program, or to the PCOS-UnT (untrained) group (n = 45 in each group). Outcomes included hormonal and metabolic profile and cardiopulmonary and exercise parameters.
After 3 months of the exercise training program, the PCOS-T group had improved maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max; +35.4%), maximal workload (+37.2%), reduction in body mass index
(-4.5%), lower C-reactive protein (-10%), and improvement in insulin sensitivity indexes (P < .001 for all comparisons). During the same period, no changes were observed in PCOS-UnT.
"A three-month structured ET program improves cardiopulmonary functional capacity in young PCOS women," the authors write.
Study limitations include small sample size, lack of generalizability to older women, and limited duration of follow-up.
"Given the strong evidence for a direct role of physical activity in the prevention of IR [insulin resistance], and the fact that ET increases mitochondrial biogenesis and improves glucose tolerance and insulin action in IR subjects, the present work strengthens the recommendation to apply primary defense mechanisms such as exercise in PCOS young women," the authors conclude. "A structured ET program represents a simple therapeutic option which can be safely, routinely and extensively performed for reducing CVR [cardiovascular risk] profile in young PCOS women."
J Clin Endocrinol Metabol. Published online January 30, 2007.
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Exercise Training Program May Be Helpful in Young Women W/ Polycystic Ovary Syndrome 
