Assessment of Quality of Life and Therapeutic Outcomes of Metformin, Pioglitazone with Myoinositol and Ethinylestradiol Cyproterone in Ethnic Pakistani Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
January 2019
TLDR Different medications improved various PCOS symptoms and quality of life in Pakistani women, but did not significantly help with excessive hair growth.
In a study conducted at four infertility centers in Islamabad, 160 Pakistani women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) aged 18-43 years were observed to assess the impact of metformin, pioglitazone, and ethinylestradiol cyproterone on their Quality of Life (QoL) and clinical features. The study found that metformin significantly improved hair loss, pelvic pain, oligomenorrhea, and depression, pioglitazone improved acne, oligomenorrhea, and depression, while ethinylestradiol cyproterone improved acne, menorrhagia, and QoL related to menstrual issues, acne, and hair loss. However, none of the drugs significantly improved hirsutism. Adverse drug reactions included gastrointestinal upset in 21.4% of patients on ethinylestradiol cyproterone and 11.5% on metformin. The study concluded that PCOS treatments should be tailored to individual clinical features, as the condition affects QoL differently across patients.
