The Effect of Acupuncture on Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Profiles in Patients with PCOS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Ruqun Zheng, Peng Qing, Mei Han, Jinlong Song, Min Hu, Hongxia Ma, Juan Li · Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · 2021 March 22

DOI 10.1155/2021/5555028

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on glucose metabolism and lipid profiles in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Conclusions

Acupuncture is relatively effective and safe in improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with PCOS. The included studies were generally of not bad methodological quality, but further large-scale, long-term randomized controlled trials with rigorous methodological standards are still warranted.

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Insights

Acupuncture could improve body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio as well as insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in patients with PCOS.

Overall, we found that acupuncture was closely associated with decreased BMI, WHR, FPG, and HOMA-IR and that acupuncture could significantly improve HOMA-IR and the level of fasting glucose in patients with PCOS, which confirms previous reports. It is also reported that acupuncture can decrease BMI and WHR. FINS, 2hFPG, and 2hFINS were reduced in the acupuncture groups, but these differences were not significantly different. The results of the lipid profile were reported in a few studies, and we found that acupuncture significantly improved triglycerides levels, while the differences in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C were not significant. Acupuncture seems to be associated with a few adverse events, and the reported adverse events, such as bleeding, were mild and transient, demonstrating that acupuncture is safe and reliable. Thus, we conclude that acupuncture, compared with standard therapy, is more effective and safer in improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with PCOS.