Clinical, Metabolic and Endocrine Effects of the Treatment With Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol Alone or in Combination With Myo-inositol in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Insulin Resistance

January 18, 2012 updated by: AGUNCO Obstetrics and Gynecology Centre

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous syndrome with a variety of metabolic and endocrine abnormalities and clinical symptoms.

The primary defect in PCOS consists of an abnormal androgen synthesis and secretion, particularly by ovarian theca cells. Insulin resistance and obesity may act as triggers, explaining the frequent association of PCOS with these metabolic conditions. Hyperinsulinaemia, which results from insulin resistance, stimulates both ovarian and adrenal androgen secretion and suppresses sex hormone-binding globulin synthesis from the liver. It results in an increase in free, biologically active androgens which are related to clinical signs such as hirsutism, acne, seborrhea, and alopecia.

Combined oral contraceptive (COC) therapy is a common treatment for PCOS and it was widely used in this group of patients providing clinical improvement in the areas of excessive hair growth, unpredictable menses, acne, and weight gain.

More recent studies outlined a deficiency in myo-inositol in women with PCOS and insulin-resistance. Myo-inositol is a precursor for many inositol-containing compounds and it plays critical and diverse roles in signal transduction, membrane biogenesis, vesicle trafficking, and chromatin remodeling. It is a precursor in the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol polyphosphates (PIPs) that are a source of several second messengers.

It has been reported that the administration of myo-inositol reduces serum insulin, decreases serum testosterone and enhances ovulation.

Due to the different beneficial actions, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the clinical, metabolic and endocrine effects of treatment with COC (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol)alone or in combination with myo-inositol, in young women with PCOS and insulin resistance.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

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
      • Catania, Italy
        • Istituto di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica

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

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women fulfilled two out of three diagnostic criteria for PCOS, according to the 2003 Rotterdam Consensus conference
  • Women with PCOS, insulin resistance, acne, hirsutism and seborrhea

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women with pre-existing secondary endocrine disorders
  • Women wishing to conceive during the next 12 months
  • Women with contradictions to oral contraceptive use
  • Women with personal history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disorders
  • Women who received treatment with oral contraceptives, or other drugs for the previous 6 months before entering the study.

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?

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Drug: placebo
Active Comparator: Drospirenone + Ethinyl estradiol
Drug: Drospirenone Ethinyl estradiol
Drospirenone 3mg/die Ethinyl estradiol 30 mg/die (21 days/month for 6 months)
Experimental: Drospirenone + Ethinyl estradiol + Myo-inositol
Drug: Drospirenone Ethinyl estradiol Myo-inositol
Drospirenone 3mg/die Ethinyl estradiol 30 mg/die (21 days/months for 6 months) + Myo-inositol 6g /die for 6 months

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
BMI
Score acne (acne grading system by Cook et al)
Score hirsutism (Ferriman-Gallwey classification)
Measurement of sex hormones in serum
Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
Measurement of blood glucose and insulin levels

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Number of patients with adverse effects

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

AGUNCO Obstetrics and Gynecology Centre

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 Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 11, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 18, 2012

First Posted (Estimate)

January 19, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

January 19, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 18, 2012

Last Verified

January 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Dros_Myo2012

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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