Possibilities of developing erythrocyte morphological deformability in patients suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome: A systemic overview

Abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial endocrine disorder that primarily affects women of reproductive age. Its clinical manifestations include menstrual irregularities and hyperandrogenism. However, the pathophysiology of PCOS shares common footprints with various components of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), such as insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, and atherogenic risk factors. Meanwhile, several studies have reported morphological changes in erythrocytes associated with different branches of MetS. Within this landscape, possibilities of alterations in erythrocyte morphology are highly expected under the metabolic dominance observed in PCOS. However, this particular area remains relatively unexplored despite the potential impact of erythrocyte changes on the pathophysiology of PCOS. This review will search for the existing literature to correlate the propensity of developing structurally and functionally modified erythrocytes in PCOS with the footprints of MetS.