| | Study ID | Sample size | Course of PCOS | Participant characteristics | Age | Treatment versus control | Outcome |
| | Stener-Victorin, 2009 | 15 | | | T: 29.9 ± 4.5
C: 30.4 ± 5.5 | Electroacupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN6, bilateral ST29, SP6, and LI4 (or PC6 alternatively every second time) and retained for 30 min. The procedure was administered two times a week for 2 weeks, once a week for 6 weeks, and then once every second week for 8 weeks, giving a total of 14 treatments over 16 weeks. Control group: this group was given information about the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet. | BMI, WHR, FGS, FPG, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C | | Zheng, 2012 | 86 | T: 3.5 ± 2.8
C: 3.6 ± 2.2 | Obesity-type PCOS | T: 26.5 ± 3.0
C: 24.9 ± 4.9 | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including RN4, RN6, RN10, CV12, ST21, ST25, and ST28 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was administered twice a week for 6 months. Control group: metformin was taken with food for 6 months. In the first week of the study, patients received 250 mg three times daily; thereafter, the metformin dose was 500 mg three times daily. | BMI, WHR, FGS, FGP, FINS, 2hFPG, 2hFINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C | | Yao, 2018 | 97 | T: 3.1 ± 0.9
C: 3.2 ± 0.8 | Obesity-type PCOS | T: 27.8 ± 4.8
C: 28.2 ± 4.5 | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including RN17, CV12, RN4, bilateral BL18, ST25, RN19, ST36, LR14, SP6, and LR3 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was administered three times a week for 6 months. Control group: metformin was taken at 500 mg three times daily with food for 6 months. | BMI, WHR, FGS, 2hFPG, HOMA-IR | | Kong, 2015 | 55 | | Obesity-type PCOS | T: 28.1 ± 3.8
C: 27.8 ± 3.4 | Electroacupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including DU20, CV3, RN6, bilateral LI4, SP6, ST29, and SP9 and retained for 30 min. The needles were then inserted into acupoints including DU20, CV3, bilateral ST29, PC6, SP6, ST25, and LR3 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed two or three times a week for a total of 32 sessions. Control group: Sham acupuncture was used, and virtual electroacupuncture was used at the acupoint. | BMI, WHR, FGP, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C | | Peng, 2017 | 100 | T: 2.5 ± 0.8
C: 2.4 ± 0.9 | | T: 28.6 ± 3.8
C: 28.8 ± 3.3 | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including SP6, ST36, ST40, and ST25 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was administered three times a week for 3 months. Control group: Sham acupuncture was administered three times a week for 3 months. | BMI, WHR | | Li, 2014 | 100 | | | | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN4, bilateral ST36, SP6, KI7, and RN6 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed every day except during the menstrual period. Control group: both sham acupuncture and metformin were used. Metformin was taken as a single tablet with food three times daily for 6 months. | BMI, WHR, FGS, FGP, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C | | Cai, 2016 | 50 | | Obesity-type PCOS | | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV12, ST21, ST25, GB26, RN6, RN4, ST28, SP10, ST34, ST36, ST37, and SP6 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed three times a week for 3 months. Control group: metformin was taken at 500 mg three times daily with food for 6 months. | BMI, WHR, FGP, FINS, HOMA-IR | | Lai, 2012 | 120 | T: 2.5 ± 0.6
C: 2.5 ± 0.7 | | T: 26.7 ± 2.7
C: 26.5 ± 2.7 | Acupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV12, RN10, RN6, RN4, ST25, and ST28 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed once every 3 days for 4 months. Control group: metformin was taken at 500 mg three times daily with food for 4 months. | BMI, WHR, FGP, FINS, 2hFPG, 2hFINS, HOMA-IR | | Guo, 2014 | 38 | | PCOS-IR | T: 27.8 ± 3.2
C: 29.3 ± 2.9 | Electropuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN6, DU20, bilateral ST29, SP6, SP9, and LI4 and retained for 30 min. The needles were then inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN6, DU20, bilateral ST25, ST29, SP6, LR3, and PC6 and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed once every 2 days for 2 months. Control group: Sham acupuncture was used and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed once every 2 days for 2 months. | BMI, WHR, FGS, FGP, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C | | Gu, 2019 | 76 | T: 4.6 ± 3.6
C: 4.3 ± 3.3 | PCOS-IR | T: 27.0 ± 4.5
C: 28.6 ± 4.0 | Electroacupuncture group: the needles were inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN6, DU20, bilateral ST29, SP6, SP9, and LI4 and retained for 30 min. The needles were then inserted into acupoints including CV3, RN6, DU20, bilateral ST25, ST29, SP6, LR3, and PC6, and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed twice a week for a total of 32 sessions. Control group: Sham acupuncture was used and retained for 30 min. The procedure was performed twice a week for a total of 32 sessions. | BMI, WHR, FGP, 2hFPG, FINS, 2hFINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C |
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