[Comments on "Effect of acupuncture and clomiphene in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial" published in Journal of the American Medical Association]

Abstract

In recent years, more and more patients of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have strong desire to be treated with acupuncture. In "Effect of acupuncture and clomiphene in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial" published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on June 27, 2017, the finding of this research does not support acupuncture for such infertility women. The questions and doubts are proposed in the paper from the regimen of acupuncture treatment, the determination of primary outcome and the explanation of the results. It is found by comparison that the trigger point treatment in the article is different from traditional acupuncture, there is doubt in live birth rate as the primary outcome, 4-month treatment is not enough for the change of live birth rate, difference without statistic significance between acupuncture and control acupuncture does not mean invalid acupuncture because the control acupuncture is not invalid, the research and statistic method are not those planned. As a result, we consider that the conclusion is unreasonable.

Keywords: academic hotspot; acupuncture therapy; clinical trial; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); regimen.