Acupuncture or metformin to improve insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: study protocol of a combined multinational cross sectional case-control study and a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is linked to hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance with dysfunctional glucose metabolism. Pilot studies suggests that acupuncture treatment with combined manual and low-frequency electrical stimulation (electroacupuncture (EA)) of the needles decrease circulating glycated haemoglobulin (HbA1c) and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance. Therefore, we here aim to investigate if acupuncture treatment or metformin together with lifestyle or lifestyle management alone improves insulin sensitivity and related symptoms in overweight/obese women with PCOS.

Methods and analysis

This is a two-centre multinational (Sweden and China), cross-sectional case-control study combined with an open-labelled randomised controlled trial (R

SUBMITTER: Stener-Victorin E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6326273 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature