OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and metabolic profiles between N-acetylcysteine and l-carnitine among women with clomiphene citrate (CC)-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: A randomized trial at Zagazig University between January 2017 and March 2018. Women with CC-resistant PCOS were allocated randomly to receive CC plus N-acetylcysteine or CC plus l-carnitine. The primary outcome was clinical pregnancy rate; secondary outcomes were ovulation rate and metabolic changes. RESULTS: Overall, 162 women completed the study (N-acetylcysteine group, n=82; l-carnitine group, n=80). After 3 months, there was no difference in pregnancy (P=0.15), ovulation (P=0.21), or spontaneous abortion (P=0.11) rates between the two groups. There was no significant decrease in BMI in either group (both P>0.05). There were improvements in menstrual pattern, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, free testosterone, and insulin resistance markers in both groups (all P<0.05). An improvement in lipid profile was observed only in the l-carnitine group (P<0.001). N-Acetylcysteine treatment led to significantly greater improvement in free testosterone and insulin resistance parameters as compared with l-carnitine (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both N-acetylcysteine and l-carnitine were equally effective in improving pregnancy and ovulation rates among women with CC-resistant PCOS. However, N-acetylcysteine was superior in ameliorating insulin resistance and only l-carnitine improved lipid profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03164421.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and metabolic profiles between N-acetylcysteine and l-carnitine among women with clomiphene citrate (CC)-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: A randomized trial at Zagazig University between January 2017 and March 2018. Women with CC-resistant PCOS were allocated randomly to receive CC plus N-acetylcysteine or CC plus l-carnitine. The primary outcome was clinical pregnancy rate; secondary outcomes were ovulation rate and metabolic changes. RESULTS: Overall, 162 women completed the study (N-acetylcysteine group, n=82; l-carnitine group, n=80). After 3 months, there was no difference in pregnancy (P=0.15), ovulation (P=0.21), or spontaneous abortion (P=0.11) rates between the two groups. There was no significant decrease in BMI in either group (both P>0.05). There were improvements in menstrual pattern, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, freetestosterone, and insulin resistance markers in both groups (all P<0.05). An improvement in lipid profile was observed only in the l-carnitine group (P<0.001). N-Acetylcysteine treatment led to significantly greater improvement in freetestosterone and insulin resistance parameters as compared with l-carnitine (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both N-acetylcysteine and l-carnitine were equally effective in improving pregnancy and ovulation rates among women with CC-resistant PCOS. However, N-acetylcysteine was superior in ameliorating insulin resistance and only l-carnitine improved lipid profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03164421.
Authors: Mohamed Abdel-Maboud; Amr Menshawy; Elfatih A Hasabo; Mohamed Ibrahim Abdelraoof; Mohamed Alshandidy; Muhammad Eid; Esraa Menshawy; Oumaima Outani; Ahmed Menshawy Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-07-19 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Giovanna Di Emidio; Francesco Rea; Martina Placidi; Giulia Rossi; Domenica Cocciolone; Ashraf Virmani; Guido Macchiarelli; Maria Grazia Palmerini; Anna Maria D'Alessandro; Paolo Giovanni Artini; Carla Tatone Journal: Antioxidants (Basel) Date: 2020-09-15