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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Dec 19:15:1509152.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1509152. eCollection 2024.

Acupuncture for hormonal readiness and gut microbiota in obese polycystic ovary syndrome: an open-label, randomized controlled trial

Tianyu Wu #  1 , Guixing Xu #  1   2   3 , Xiaojuan Hong #  1   3 , Huaying Fan  1 , Jiuzhi Zeng  4 , Yu Liu  1 , Jinqun Hu  1 , Fanrong Liang  1   3 , Jie Yang  1   3 , Jiao Chen  1   3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Acupuncture for hormonal readiness and gut microbiota in obese polycystic ovary syndrome: an open-label, randomized controlled trial

Tianyu Wu et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Objective: To explore whether acupuncture combined with clomiphene can reduce the luteinizing hormone-to follicle-stimulating hormone ratio and impact the gut microbiota in patients with obese polycystic ovary syndrome.

Methods: This open-label, randomized, parallel-group controlled trial included 86 women aged 20-40 years with obese polycystic ovary syndrome and 19 healthy controls. Participants were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture combined with clomiphene group or a clomiphene-only group, with a healthy control group for comparison. The treatment lasted three menstrual cycles, with acupuncture administered three times weekly and clomiphene given daily from day five of menstruation for five consecutive days per cycle. The primary outcome was the change in the luteinizing hormone-to-follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio. Secondary outcomes included levels of other sex hormones, glucose and lipid metabolism parameters, self-rating anxiety and depression scale scores, and gut microbiota composition.

Results: Intention-to-treat analysis showed that the adjusted mean luteinizing hormone-to follicle-stimulating hormone ratio decrease was -0.8 (95% CI: -1.14 to -0.46) in the acupuncture combined with clomiphene group and -0.22 (95% CI: -0.47 to 0.01) in the clomiphene group. The adjusted between-group difference was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.24 to 0.82, p < 0.001). The levels of Agathobacter faecis increased, and those of Erysipelatoclostridium spiroforme, Streptococcus lutetiensis, and Lactococcus lactis decreased after acupuncture combined with clomiphene treatment (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with clomiphene may be safe and effective, reduce the luteinizing hormone-to follicle-stimulating hormone ratio, and improve insulin resistance in obese polycystic ovary syndrome, and these outcomes may be related to the gut microbiota.

Keywords: acupuncture; gut microbiota; hormonal readiness; obese polycystic ovary syndrome; randomized controlled trial.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The CONSORT flowchart of the patient flow throughout the study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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