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Table 2 Inositol for reproduction, hyperandrogenism, metabolism, anthropometry and risk factors

From: Nutritional supplements and herbal medicines for women with polycystic ovary syndrome; a systematic review and meta-analysis

 

Treatment n*(number of effects)/N

Control n* (number of effects)/N

Number of RCTs Heterogeneity (I2, p value)

Treatment effect MD or RR

95% CI

p value

Hyperandrogenism

 Free testosterone nmol/l

55

51

3 [22, 23, 30]

0%, p = 0.94

MD −0.02

−0.10 to 0.06

0.62

 Total testosterone** nmol/l

103

89

5 [34, 36, 41, 45, 54]

32%, p = 0.0009

MD 0.99

−1.54 to −0.44

< 0.001

 Androstenidione nmol/l

73

59

4 [22, 23, 30, 37]

0%, p = 1.0

MD 3.59

−4.62 to −2.55

< 0.001

 Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) nmol/l

55

67

2 [22, 23]

0%, 0.50

MD 40.67

25.83 to 55.50

< 0.001

 Modified Ferriman Gallwey score

30

30

1 [54]

MD 0.90

−1.18 to 2.98

0.40

Reproduction

 Number of days to ovulation (number of days)

181

194

2 [24, 25]

0%, p = 0.90

MD 17.7

−31.4 to −4.1

0.01

 Ratio of luteal week to total trial luteal weeks: total trial weeks

166/697

140/1000

2 [24, 25]

0%, p = 0.90

RR 1.7

1.39 to 2.08

< 0.001

 Number of ovulations

25/32

8/32

2 [22, 23]

0%, p = 0.95

RR 3.13

1.68 to 5.83

0.001

 Number of women who did not ovulate

16/181

34/194

2 [24, 25]

0%, p = 0.95

RR 0.5

0.29 to 0.86

0.01

 Pregnancy

18/71

6/63

3 [24, 25, 36]

0%, p = 0.95

RR 2.78

1.19 to 6.5

0.02

 Live births

8/25

3/25

1 [36]

RR 2.67

0.80 to 8.90

0.11

 FSH mIU/l

25

25

1 [36]

MD 1.4

−1.63 to −1.17

0.001

 LH mIU/l

25

25

1 [36]

MD 3.5

−4.9 to −2.1

0.001

 FSH:LH ratio

25

25

1 [36]

MD 0.4

−0.68 to −0.12

0.006

Anthropometric

 BMI***

48

38

2 [37, 54]

MD −0.30

−1.10 to 0.50

0.46

57

57

3 [22, 23, 36]

I2 31%, p = 0.24

MD 0.40

−0.07 to −0.86

0.86

 Waist to hip ratio

32

32

2 [22, 23]

0%, p = 0.32

MD −0.02

−0.03 to −0.01

0.01

Metabolic hormones

      

 Fasting glucose mmol/l

73

59

4 [22, 23, 30, 37]

0%, P = 0.52

MD 1.17

−1.72 to – 0.63

< 0.001

 Fasting insulin μU/ml

73

59

4 [22, 23, 30, 37]

18%, p = 0.30

MD 2.7

−3.9 to −1.5

< 0.001

 HOMA-IR****

25

25

1 [36]

MD −1.30

−1.60 to −1.00

< 0.001

18

8

1 [37]

MD −0.60

−0.89 to – 0.30

< 0.001

Risk factors

 Cholesterol mmol/l

32

32

2 [22, 23]

27%, p = 0.24

MD 0.56

−1.07 to −0.04

0.04

 Triglycerides mg/dL

32

32

2 [22, 23]

8%, p = 0.30

MD 31.6

−61.1 to −2.0

0.04

 HDLmg/dL

22

22

1 [22]

MD 0

−4.73 to 4.73

1.0

 LDL mg/dL

22

22

1 [22]

MD −2.0

−13.7 to 9.7

0.74

 CRP

30

30

1

MD −2.2

−3.57 to −0.83

< 0.01

  1. *calculated for dichotomous outcomes only
  2. **five trials with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 75%, p = 0.003) following analyses incorporating random effects
  3. ***five trials with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 89%, p < 0.0001) following analyses incorporating random effects, and not combined
  4. **** two trials with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 91%, p-0.0009) following analyses incorporating random effects, and not combined
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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

ISSN: 2662-7671

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