Metformin in Infertile PCOS Patients

December 1, 2015 updated by: Stefano Palomba, University Magna Graecia

Efficacy of Long- Versus Short-term Metformin Protocol in Infertile Anovulatory PCOS Patients

Metformin, an oral biguanide administrated for treating type-2 diabetes mellitus, is a safe and effective drug recently experimented also in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The administration of metformin induces ovulatory cycles in CC-resistant or -nonresistant patients with PCOS, and improves the ovulation rate as an additional treatment in women who received CC.

To date, it is unknown the best protocol for metformin administration. In particular, it is not known how long patients who ovulate under metformin should continue treatment before switching to second-line ovulation induction therapy. In this regard, in a recent study by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis we demonstrated that the first pregnancy occurred late after metformin with an estimated median of seven months.

Based on these considerations, the aim of the present study will be to evaluate the clinical efficacy of metformin according to its duration of administration in infertile PCOS patients ovulating under treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Infertile PCOS patients having three ovulatory cycles under metformin, administered using tailored protocol, will be enrolled and randomized in two groups (groups A and B). Patients of group A will continue metformin administration for further three cycles followed by six months of progestogens cyclically administered, whereas patients of group B will continue metformin therapy for further nine cycles.

All patients eligible will undergo baseline assessment consisting of anthropometric, hormonal, and ultrasonographic evaluations. During the study, the clinical and reproductive outcomes, and the adverse experience will be evaluated in each patient.

Data will be analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle and a P value of 0.05 or less will be considered significant. Continuous variables will be analyzed with the unpaired t test and general linear model for repeated measures analysis with Bonferroni test for the post-hoc analysis as required. For categorical variables, the Pearson chi-square and Fisher's exact tests will be used. Cumulative pregnancy rate, our primary end-point, will be calculated by the Kaplan-Maier method, and the differences between the two groups will be assessed with the log-rank test. Cox proportional-hazards model will be used to calculate the hazard ratio for new pregnancy in both groups.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

20

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • Catanzaro, CZ, Italy
      • Catanzaro, Catanzaro, CZ, Italy, Italy, 88100
        • Recruiting
        • Pugliese Hospital
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (using NIH criteria)
  • Anovulatory infertility (using WHO criteria)
  • Ovulatory cycles under metformin (three cycles)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age <18 or >35 years
  • Severe obesity (BMI >35)
  • Neoplastic, metabolic, hepatic, and cardiovascular disorders or other concurrent medical illnesses
  • Hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, Cushing's syndrome, and non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  • Current or previous (within the last six months) use of oral contraceptives, glucocorticoids, antiandrogens, antidiabetic and anti-obesity drugs or other hormonal drugsPrevious use of ovulation induction agents
  • Intention to start a diet or a specific program of physical activity
  • Organic pelvic diseases
  • Previous pelvic surgery
  • Suspected peritoneal factor infertility
  • Tubal or male factor infertility or sub-fertility

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Group A
Short protocol
Drug: Metformin
Active Comparator: Group B
Long protocol
Drug: Metformin

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Pregnancy rate
Time Frame: 12 months
12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Ovulation rate Abortion rate Live-birth rate Adverse events
Time Frame: 21 months
21 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University Magna Graecia

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Stefano Palomba, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro
  • Principal Investigator: Francesco Orio, MD, Department of Endocrinology, University "Federico II" of Naples
  • Principal Investigator: Achille Tolino, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University "Federico II" of Naples

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

June 1, 2016

Study Completion (Anticipated)

December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 12, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 13, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

July 16, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 3, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 1, 2015

Last Verified

December 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 05/2006b

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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