NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Adolescent girls with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at considerably heightened risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), researchers report in a June 8th on-line paper in The Journal of Pediatrics.

As Dr. Raanan Arens told Reuters Health by email, “Since both PCOS and SDB and EDS in PCOS are prevalent, we do recommend that pediatricians look for all of these in these teenage girls.”

Dr. Arens of Montefiore Medical Center, The Bronx, New York and colleagues note that the natural history of SDB in adolescent girls is not well characterized.

“Our study,” he added, “used 2 standardized questionnaires to investigate the prevalence of SDB and EDS in young girls (age 13-18 years) diagnosed with PCOS.” In all there were 103 participants with PCOS and 90 controls.

We noted, Dr. Arens continued, “that SDB and EDS are highly prevalent… compared to matched controls. In addition the presence of the metabolic syndrome was shown to be independently associated with SDB and EDS in this group.”

SDB affected 45.6% of the PCOS group compared to 27.8% of controls. Corresponding values for EDS were 54.4% and 35.6%.

Those with PCOS and EDS had a higher body mass index z score and a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. There were similar findings for those with PCOS and SDB.

“Treatment in general,” continued Dr. Arens, “is for sleep apnea” and “is similar to that in the general population — adenotonsillectomy, continuous positive airway pressure, weight management and exercise. Treatment for PCOS would be oral contraceptive, metformin, and weight management.”

“A specialist,” he concluded, “would be recommended once a diagnosis is made for any of the above: sleep physician, endocrinologist or adolescent expert.”

J Pediar 2011.