NCT02491333

Brief Summary

The objectives of this randomized controlled trial are to compare insulin sensitivity following true acupuncture + placebo metformin (Group 1) vs sham acupuncture + placebo metformin (Group 2) vs sham acupuncture + metformin (Group 3) in women with PCOS and IR.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
342

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_3

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2015

Typical duration for phase_3

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 24, 2015

Completed
14 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 8, 2015

Completed
24 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2015

Completed
3.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

October 1, 2018

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

October 1, 2018

Completed
Last Updated

March 21, 2022

Status Verified

March 1, 2022

Enrollment Period

3.2 years

First QC Date

June 24, 2015

Last Update Submit

March 17, 2022

Conditions

Keywords

polycystic ovary syndromeacupunctureinsulin resistanceHOMA-IRmetformin

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Changes of HOMA-IR

    Change from Baseline Systolic Blood Pressure at 4 months and 7 months

Secondary Outcomes (11)

  • HOMA-B

    4 months and 7 months

  • AUCglu

    4 months and 7 months

  • Menstrual frequency

    4 months and 7 months

  • Body composition(a composite)

    4 months and 7 months

  • Metabolic profile(a composite)

    4 months and 7 months

  • +6 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (3)

true acupuncture + placebo metformin

EXPERIMENTAL

True acupuncture and placebo metformin will be started 2 days after the baseline visit including OGTT. All subjects will be asked to use a barrier method for contraception. True acupuncture treatment will be given three times per week. Each treatment session lasts for 30 minutes and can be separated by an interval of 1-3 days, with a maximum of 48 treatment sessions during 4 month. Placebo metformin will be given at 0.5g/times, 3 times one day and for 4 month.

Other: true acupunctureDrug: Placebo metformin

sham acupuncture + placebo metformin

SHAM COMPARATOR

Sham acupuncture and placebo metformin will be started 2 days after the baseline visit including OGTT. All subjects will be asked to use a barrier method for contraception. Sham acupuncture treatment will be given three times per week. Each treatment session lasts for 30 minutes and can be separated by an interval of 1-3 days, with a maximum of 48 treatment sessions during 4 month. Placement of needles is unlikely to affect ovulation and IR in women with PCOS. Placebo metformin will be given at 0.5g/times, 3 times one day and for 4 month.

Other: sham acupunctureDrug: Placebo metformin

sham acupuncture + metformin

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Sham acupuncture and metformin will be started 2 days after the baseline visit including OGTT. All subjects will be asked to use a barrier method for contraception. Sham acupuncture treatment will be given three times per week. Each treatment session lasts for 30 minutes and can be separated by an interval of 1-3 days, with a maximum of 48 treatment sessions during 4 month.Placement of needles is unlikely to affect ovulation and IR in women with PCOS. Metformin will be given at 0.5g/times, 3 times one day and for 4 month.

Other: sham acupunctureDrug: metformin

Interventions

True acupuncture treatment will be given three times per week. Each treatment session lasts for 30 minutes and can be separated by an interval of 1-3 days, with a maximum of 48 treatment sessions during 4 month.

true acupuncture + placebo metformin

Sham acupuncture treatment will be given three times per week. Each treatment session lasts for 30 minutes and can be separated by an interval of 1-3 days, with a maximum of 48 treatment sessions during 4 month.

sham acupuncture + metforminsham acupuncture + placebo metformin

Metformin will be given at 0.5g/times, 3 times one day and for 4 month.

Also known as: Dimethylbiguanide
sham acupuncture + metformin

Placebo metformin will be given at 0.5g/times, 3 times one day and for 4 month.

Also known as: placebo Dimethylbiguanide
sham acupuncture + placebo metformintrue acupuncture + placebo metformin

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 40 Years
Sexfemale
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Chinese women aged from 18 to 40 years.
  • BMI ≥18.5kg/m2.
  • Confirmed diagnosis of PCOS according to modified Rotterdam criteria in 2003 including at least two of the following three features: ①Oligo-(an intermenstrual interval \>35 days or \<8 cycles in the past year), amenorrhea (an intermenstrual interval\>90 days) and/or; ② polycystic ovarian morphology, i.e. presence of \>12 antral follicles (≤ 9mm) and/or ovarian volume \>10 ml on transvaginal scanning and/or; ③clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism. Clinical hyperandrogenism in China Mainland is defined as a Ferriman-Gallwey (FG) score ≥5 ; biochemical hyperandrogenism is total testosterone (T) \> 2.6 nmol/l and free testosterone ≥6.0 pg/ml.
  • Presence of IR as defined by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR: \[fasting insulin (μU/mL) × fasting glucose (mmol/L)\] / 22.5). A value ≥ 2.14 will be considered to be indicative of IR.
  • No immediate fertility wish and willingness to use barrier methods to contraception for one year.
  • Willingness to sign the consent form.

You may not qualify if:

  • ① Uncorrected thyroid disease (defined as TSH \< 0.2 mIU/mL or \>5.5 mIU/mL). A normal level within the last year is adequate for entry.
  • ② Poorly controlled of Type I or Type II diabetes (defined as a HbA1c level \> 7.0%), or patients receiving antidiabetic medications such as insulin, thiazolidinediones, acarbose, or sulfonylureas likely to confound the effects of study medication; Patients currently receiving metformin XR (extended release) for a diagnosis of Type I or Type II diabetes or for PCOS are alsoexcluded.
  • Cushing's syndrome (define as an archetype of MetS. High glucocorticoid levels lead to muscle, liver and adipocyte insulin resistance. 17-OHCS\>55umol/24h or UFC\>304nmol/24h) ④ Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (define as patients with known 21-hydroxylase deficiency or other enzyme deficiency leading to the phenotype of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. 17-OHP\>10 ng/ml in ACTH 1-24 h excited test (after 60 min)) ⑤ Suspected androgen secreting adrenal or ovarian tumor.
  • Use of hormonal or other medication including Chinese Herbal prescriptions which may affect the outcome the last 2 months.
  • Receiving acupuncture in the past 2 months.
  • Within 6 weeks pregnancy.
  • Post-abortion or postpartum within the past 6 weeks.
  • Breastfeeding within the last 4 months.
  • Not willing to give written consent to the study.
  • Having a bariatric surgery procedure within the past 12 months or being in a period of acute weight loss.
  • Patients on oral contraceptives, depot progestins, or hormonal implants (including Implanon). A two month washout period will be required prior to screening for patients on these agents. Longer washouts may be necessary for certain depot contraceptive forms or implants, especially where the implants are still in place. A one-month washout will be required for patients on oral cyclic progestins.
  • Heart disease ③ Patients with a history of, or suspected cervical carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, or breast carcinoma.
  • Patients enrolled into other studies that require medications. ⑤ Patients taking longer than a one month break during the protocol should not be enrolled.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China

Location

Related Publications (39)

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Polycystic Ovary SyndromeInsulin Resistance

Interventions

Metformin

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Ovarian CystsCystsNeoplasmsOvarian DiseasesAdnexal DiseasesGenital Diseases, FemaleFemale Urogenital DiseasesFemale Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy ComplicationsUrogenital DiseasesGenital DiseasesGonadal DisordersEndocrine System DiseasesHyperinsulinismGlucose Metabolism DisordersMetabolic DiseasesNutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

BiguanidesGuanidinesAmidinesOrganic Chemicals

Study Officials

  • Hongxia Ma

    The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Juan Li, PhD

    The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Maohua Lai, PhD

    The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Hua Liu, Master

    The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Wanting Wu, Master

    The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Ernest HY NG, PhD

    The University of Hong Kong

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Elisabet Stener-Victorin, PhD

    Karolinska Institutet

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 24, 2015

First Posted

July 8, 2015

Study Start

August 1, 2015

Primary Completion

October 1, 2018

Study Completion

October 1, 2018

Last Updated

March 21, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-03

Locations