O-11 Associations between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Prediabetes and Diabetes in Barbadian Women

Methods: Barbadian women aged 18-49 years were invited to participate in an online cross-sectional survey using Qualtrics during September 2023 to August 2024. After informed consent, participants reported demographic information, information on PCOS diagnosis and treatment, and diagnoses of pre-diabetes and diabetes. Proxies of the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS of hyperandrogenism, oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovaries were used to confirm selfreport of PCOS. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between PCOS and pre-diabetes and PCOS and diabetes. This study received ethical approval from University of the West Indies (IRB #: CREC-CH.00092/09/2022) and George Mason University (IRB #:1874695-5).

Results: Participants (n=220) were included in the study (mean age: 34.03 ±7.94 years) and after applying Rotterdam criteria proxies 59 (26.8%) had PCOS; 32 reported everhaving pre-diabetes (16.7%) and 11 reported having diabetes (5.73%). There was a significant association between PCOS and pre-diabetes (aOR: 3.51 (95% CI: 1.45-8.67), but no significant association between PCOS and diabetes (aOR: 3.42 (95% CI: 0.84-14.33). In terms of PCOS treatment, 41 of those with PCOS (n=59) reported being on a treatment intervention at least once (69.5%), however only 10 (16.9%) were on any treatment intervention for their PCOS at time of taking the survey.

Conclusion: Results demonstrate a significant relationship between PCOS and pre-diabetes in women residing in Barbados. There was also low PCOS-treatment prevalence in this population, indicating potential low treatment compliance. As pre-diabetes is a precursor for diabetes, a condition of significant public health concern for Barbados and the Caribbean, more patient education on PCOS-treatment adherence and the implementation of patient-centered multidisciplinary interventions should be considered to reduce the risk of further progression to diabetes.