Polycystic ovary syndrome and diabetes mellitus type 1 in adult and adolescent females

Introduction. The growing prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; the most frequent cause of anovulatory infertility) results in their growing comorbidity. Objective. To review the available data on comorbidity of type 1 diabetes mellitus and the polycystic ovary syndrome and their relations, especially in the adolescent group. Materials and Methods. The available medical databases have been searched to identify relevant bibliography; then analysis and synthesis of the available data have been conducted. Results. At present, the prevalence of comorbid T1DM and PCOS in girls has not been established. Conclusion. The available data on T1DM and PCOS comorbidity in adult women suggest the need for early diagnostic investigations to detect their comorbidity and for early therapeutic interventions. Further research to investigate their coprevalence is necessary. In female adolescents, either with or without T1DM, PCOS should be diagnosed not earlier that two years after menarche or when at age of 16 menarche is still absent, with all of the three Rotterdam criteria met. In time between menarche and the end of second year of menstruation high/medium risk of PCOS can be identified. After the fourth year of menstruating, the patient should be treated as an adult. Such approach will eliminate differences in diagnosis resulting from different law definition of adulthood in various countries. In girls with T1DM treatment should be started for any individual component of PCOS to reduce the risk of progression of the syndrome.