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Gut Microbiome Composition in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Adult Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

  • Reproductive Endocrinology: Review
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Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder that is frequently linked to anovulation in women who are experiencing infertility. Intestinal flora, also known as the “second genome” of the host, is closely associated with chronic metabolic diseases. Recently, there has been increasing attention on the connection between PCOS and the gut microbiome, and experiments have been conducted. However, the results were unsatisfactory and inconsistent. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature investigating the associations between the gut microbiome and PCOS in adults. The goal is to identify whether there are changes in the composition of the gut microbiome in individuals with PCOS. This is the first systematic review to focus on functional alterations in the gut microbiome, which could provide insights into potential mechanisms of microbial involvement in the development of PCOS. We found that there was no significant change in gut microbiome biodiversity in PCOS. Meta-analyses of three studies revealed a significantly higher abundance of Proteobacteria (1.12, 95% CI, 0.21, 2.02, I2 = 0%) in adults with PCOS. At the genus level, Bacteroides, Enterococcus, and Escherichia-Shigella were found to be enriched in patients with PCOS. Species such as Ruminococcus gnavus group, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Bacteroides fragilis showed an increase in PCOS. Metabolic pathways associated with glucose, lipid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and protein absorption were found to be enriched in individuals with PCOS. The gut microbiome in PCOS is not characterized by lower diversity, but the composition is altered at the phylum, family, genus, or species level. Consequently, the metabolic pathway differs according to the phenotype of PCOS.

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  1. Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 12 Jiankang Road, Chang’an District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China

    Qiaoying Zhu & Na Zhang

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Zhu, Q., Zhang, N. Gut Microbiome Composition in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Adult Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies. Reprod. Sci. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-023-01440-4

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