Metformin in Infertile PCOS Patients

Summary

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.

Timeline

Start

2012-04

Primary completion

2016-06

Completion

2016-12

Publications

• Background Palomba S, Orio F Jr, Falbo A, Russo T, Tolino A, Zullo F. Clomiphene citrate versus metformin as first-line approach for the treatment of anovulation in infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Sep;92(9):3498-503. doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-1009. Epub 2007 Jun 26.
• Background Palomba S, Orio F Jr, Falbo A, Manguso F, Russo T, Cascella T, Tolino A, Carmina E, Colao A, Zullo F. Prospective parallel randomized, double-blind, double-dummy controlled clinical trial comparing clomiphene citrate and metformin as the first-line treatment for ovulation induction in nonobese anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Jul;90(7):4068-74. doi: 10.1210/jc.2005-0110. Epub 2005 Apr 19.

Drugs

Indications