Effects of Physical Exercise on Cardiovascular Autonomic Modulation in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors' conclusion
The benefits of aerobic exercise on cardiovascular autonomic modulation appear to extend to women with PCOS, increasing vagal modulation and reducing sympathetic modulation. However, further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence and clarify the effects of other exercise modalities.
Study context
- Population
- Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Participants
- 316 women5 studies
- Comparison
- Exercise vs control
- Exercisen = 214
- Controln = 102reference
- Outcome
- Cardiovascular autonomic modulation with aerobic exercise
Methodological detailsrandom-effects meta-analysis, GRADE certainty assessment
- Random-effects meta-analysis
- GRADE certainty assessment
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Exercise vs ControlMD (95% CI)P value
% sequences with 3 consecutive cardiac cycles without significant variations; reduced with aerobic exercise; I2 = 0%; moderate-certainty evidence
−6.13(−8.56 to −3.71)
P < 0.001% sequences with 3 consecutive cardiac cycles with two different variations; increased with aerobic exercise; I2 = 8%; moderate-certainty evidence
7.16(4.61–9.72)
P < 0.001RMSSD; increased with aerobic exercise; I2 = 52%; low-certainty evidence
12.84(2.66–23.03)
P = 0.01Original publication
Effects of Physical Exercise on Cardiovascular Autonomic Modulation in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 25 September 2025. doi:10.
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