ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D deficiency leads to a myriad of healthcare problems from cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and neurological disorders to cancer. However, the role of vitamin D deficiency in the etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear. This study aimed to measure objectively the impact of vitamin D deficiency on PCOS through a quantitative assessment of the existing literature. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of published literature on the following online databases using EndnoteX7: MEDLINE, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL. Searches were limited to full-text English-language journal articles published between 2006 and 2016. Eligible clinical studies employed control group data to investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and PCOS. RESULTS: We identified 10 studies eligible for this meta-analysis. The summary intervention effect calculated for this meta-analysis yields a value of -0.45 with a confidence interval of -1.68 to 0.79, supporting the hypothesis that lower concentrations of serum vitamin D play a role in the hormonal and metabolic dysregulation seen in PCOS. CONCLUSIONS: Lower concentrations of serum vitamin D are associated with a greater risk of developing PCOS. However, the therapeutic effect of vitamin D in the setting of PCOS remains unclear and must be determined by future interventional studies.
