title: Effectiveness of abdominal acupuncture for patients with obesity-type polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of abdominal acupuncture at the endocrine and metabolic level in patients with obesity-type polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six women from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College with a diagnosis of PCOS (body-mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to receive 6 months of abdominal acupuncture (once a day) or oral metformin (250 mg three times daily in the first week, followed by 500 mg three times daily thereafter). BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), ovarian volume, menstrual frequency, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and Ferriman-Gallwey score were measured at the beginning of the study and after 6 months of treatment. Luteotrophic hormone (LH), testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), fasting blood glucose, 2-hour Postprandial blood glucose, fasting insulin, 2-hour postprandial blood insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the results at baseline and 6 months, BMI, WHR, Ferriman-Gallwey score, ovarian volume, luteotrophic hormone, ratio of luteotrophic hormone to follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, LDL-C, triglycerides, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, fasting insulin, 2-hour postprandial blood insulin, and HOMA-IR were reduced significantly in the two groups (p<0.05). Menstrual frequency and HDL-C (p<0.05) increased significantly in both groups; follicle-stimulating hormone also increased in both groups, but the change was not significant (p>0.05). The acupuncture group showed considerable advantages over the metformin group in terms of reduced BMI and WHR and increases in menstrual frequency (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal acupuncture and metformin improved the endocrine and metabolic function of patients with obesity-type PCOS. Abdominal acupuncture may be more effective in improving menstrual frequency, BMI, and WHR, with few adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College , Guangzhou, China .
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xin-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mao-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hong-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008687:Metformin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006728:Hormones; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D008687:Metformin