Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40091529›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of medicine2025

Improvement of endocrine and metabolic conditions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome through acupuncture and its combined therapies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tianyu Wu, Yiwei Liu, Fanjing Kong, Jinqun Hu, Yu Liu, Jie Yang, Jiao Chen

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Tianyu WuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Yiwei LiuRehabilitation Medicine Center and Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
Fanjing KongSchool of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.ORCID 0009-0004-1453-8562
Jinqun HuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Yu LiuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Jie YangSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Jiao ChenSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age that significantly impacts their reproductive health. Acupuncture and its combined therapies may have beneficial effects on the endocrine and metabolic states of women with PCOS. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the treatment effects and potential mechanisms of acupuncture and its combined therapies compared to oral metformin in treating PCOS patients.

methodsThe evaluation focused on three sets of outcomes: hormonal indicators, metabolic indicators, and body weight indicators. Studies that involved additional therapies beyond the specified interventions or included patients with other diseases were excluded. Additionally, data mining methods were used, including frequency statistics to analyze the frequency of acupuncture points and the meridians involved, and the Apriori algorithm to perform association rule analysis for the most effective interventions.

resultsThe study included 46 articles (51 studies) involving six interventions: acupuncture combined with metformin, acupuncture treatment, acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine and metformin, acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture combined with cupping, and auricular acupuncture combined with metformin showed significant improvements in all evaluated indicators. Data mining revealed the Stomach meridian of foot yangming was the most frequently used, and the most commonly used combination of points included CV4, SP6, and ST36.

conclusionsThis study suggests that acupuncture and its combined therapies may benefit PCOS. However, risk of bias and heterogeneity observed were noted. Future high-quality, rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and provide stronger clinical recommendations for acupuncture in PCOS treatment.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyPolycystic Ovary SyndromeCombined Modality TherapyDrugs, Chinese HerbalFemaleHumansHypoglycemic AgentsMetforminTreatment OutcomeDrugs, Chinese HerbalHypoglycemic AgentsMetforminacupuncturedata miningmeta-analysisPCOSPolycystic ovary syndrome

Identifiers

PMID40091529
PMCPMC11915742

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.