[Acupuncture Treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients with Abdominal Obesity by Regulating Dai Meridian: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients with abdominal obesity by regulating glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, sex hormones, etc.

METHODS

Eligible PCOS volunteers were randomly divided into treatment group(=30) and control group(=28). The treatment group received acupuncture therapy three times a week combined with diet control and exercise. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 4-8 mA) was applied to bilateral Daimai (GB 26)and Tianshu (ST 25) for 20 min/time, and bilateral Daheng (SP 15), Shenshu (BL 23), Ciliao (BL 32), Guilai (ST 29), Zulinqi (GB 41) and Waiguan (SJ 5) were stimulated with filiform needles, with the needles retained for 20 min. Patients of the control group were asked to restrict intake of dietary calories (low fat, appropriate proteins, and high carbohydrate) and aerobic exercise (>40 min/time), 3 times/week. The treatment duration lasted 12 weeks. Before and after the treatment, serum fasting insulin (FINS), fasting blood-glucose (FBG), Testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) contents were assayed using immuno-fluorometry, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA -IR) and ratio of LH/FSH were calculated, and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were measured, separately.

RESULTS

Comparison with their own individual pre-treatment, the levels of FINS, HOMA -IR, T, LH, LH/FSH, BMI, WC and WHR (not FBG) in both control and treatment groups were significantly decreased (<0.05, <0.01), and the levels of FINS, HOMA-IR and WC were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (<0.01, <0.05). No marked differences were found between two groups in the levels of FBG, T, LH, LH/FSH, BMI and WHR (>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture can effectively reduce FINS, HOMA-IR and WC levels in PCOS patients with abdominal obesity, down-regulating insulin resistance, which is significantly superior to simple diet control plus exercise.