Date of Award

Spring 5-2025

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

First Advisor

Solberg, Julie

Keywords

polycystic ovary syndrome, glucagon-like peptide 1, weight loss, obesity, insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and menstrual regularity

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive aged women and is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, hyperandrogenism, and obesity (Brady et al., 2023). The purpose of this literature review is to compare glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) to the typical treatment, metformin, in improving outcomes such as weight loss, insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and menstrual regularity in obese women with PCOS. Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and ScienceDirect were searched from April to July 2024 using a variety of keywords and MeSH terms. This review included studies from 2014-2024, randomized control trials, pilot studies, and clinical trials. A total of 10 studies met final inclusion criteria. Current literature at the time of this review suggests that GLP-1 RAs contribute to increased weight loss when combined with metformin. The combination therapy also improves markers of hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS such as luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. A larger research study with diverse populations and strict lifestyle modification monitoring is needed to generalize recommendations on GLP-1 RAs in addition to metformin for obese women with PCOS.

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