title: Acupuncture and physical exercise for affective symptoms and health-related quality of life in polycystic ovary syndrome: secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have symptoms of depression and anxiety and impaired health related quality of life (HRQoL). Here we test the post-hoc hypothesis that acupuncture and exercise improve depression and anxiety symptoms and HRQoL in PCOS women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two PCOS women were randomly assigned to 16 weeks of 1) acupuncture (n = 28); 2) exercise (n = 29); or 3) no intervention (control) (n = 15). Outcome measures included: change in Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S), Brief Scale for Anxiety (BSA-S), Swedish Short-Form 36 (SF-36), and PCOS Questionnaire (PCOSQ) scores from baseline to after 16-week intervention, and to 16-week post-intervention follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A reduction in MADRS-S and BSA-S from baseline to 16-weeks post-intervention follow-up was observed for the acupuncture group. The SF-36 domains role physical, energy/vitality, general health perception and the mental component of summary scores improved in the acupuncture group after intervention and at follow-up. Within the exercise group the role physical decreased after treatment, while physical functioning and general health perception scores increased at follow-up. The emotion domain in the PCOSQ improved after 16-weeks of intervention within all three groups, and at follow-up in acupuncture and exercise groups. At follow-up, improvement in the infertility domain was observed within the exercise group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a modest improvement in depression and anxiety scores in women treated with acupuncture, and improved HRQoL scores were noted in both intervention groups. While not a primary focus of the trial, these data suggest continued investigation of mental health outcomes in women treated for PCOS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00484705.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stener-Victorin
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Per Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: Margda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waern
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000628:therapy*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires