Effects of Inositol Alone or Associated With Alpha-lipoic Acid in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment

NCT ID: NCT04881851

Last Updated: 2025-04-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

76 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-05-07

Study Completion Date

2025-03-31

Brief Summary

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The aim of this double-blinded, three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the effects of a 6 months treatment with inositol alone or inositol associated with alpha-lipoic acid in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

The study population is composed of 90 women with PCOS (diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria). Subjects are randomized to one of the 3 arms of treatment (Inositol + alpha lipoic acid + folic acid vs inositol + folic acid vs folic acid alone).

At recruitment and after 6 months of treatment, the following data are collected:

* clinical data: height, weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, Ferriman Gallwey Score, menstrual diary
* endocrine parameters (serum total and free testosterone levels, SHBG levels)
* metabolic profile: glycemia and insulinemia at fasting and after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum lipids
* insulin-sensitivity measured by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and surrogate indexes
* ovarian ultrasound data. Furthermore, ovulation is evaluated from the 2nd to the 6th month of the study through progesterone serial dosages on weekly urinary samples.

The primary outcome of the study is the serum free testosterone variation after 6 months of treatment. Secondary outcomes are the variations of lipid profile, ovarian morphology and insulin-sensitivity after 6 months and the number of ovulations occurring in the last 4 months of treatment.

Detailed Description

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The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a 6 months treatment with inositol, alone or associated with alpha-lipoic acid, in women with PCOS. This is a double blinded, three-armed RCT.

The study population is composed of 90 women with PCOS, recruited at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease of Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI), Verona.

After recruitment, subjects are randomly assigned to one of the 3 arms of treatment (Inositol + alpha lipoic acid + folic acid vs inositol + folic acid vs folic acid alone). Randomisation is stratified by BMI category (3 categories 18\<BMI\<25, 25≥BMI\<30, 30≥BMI\<35 Kg/m2); randomisation list is generated by the statistical software Stata 13.1.

At baseline and after 6 months of treatment, the following data are collected:

* clinical examination: family and personal medical history, menstrual diary, physical examination including height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure and hirsutism score (modified Ferriman-Gallwey score)
* total and free testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) blood levels, evaluated in the early follicular phase or after 3 months of amenorrhea
* metabolic profile: glycemia and insulinemia at fasting and after 2h OGTT, serum lipids (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides). Glycemia and insulinemia values during OGTT will be used to calculate surrogate indexes of insulin resistance
* insulin-sensitivity measured by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique. Data obtained with this test will be normalized for lean mass, measured by bioelectrical impedance. The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp is repeated after 6 months of treatment only in subjects who are insulin-resistant at baseline (M-value \< 8.6 mg/kg min).
* Chronic inflammation markers (CRP)
* Ovarian ultrasound evaluation, including measurement of the 3 diameters for ovarian volume calculation, and follicle count. The ultrasound examination will be executed by a gynaecologist at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at AOUI, Verona.

Furthermore, all the study participants are subjected to:

* ovulation assessment by serial progesterone dosages on weekly urinary samples. Patients are given numbered urine beakers and are instructed to collect night urine weekly, starting at the 3rd month of treatment and until the end of the study (17 samples).
* monitoring visits after 2 and 4 months of treatment, to evaluate therapy compliance and possible adverse events.

30 ml blood samples of the study participants will be preserved for 10 years. On these samples, further examinations will be considered if new important markers of PCOS will emerge in the future.

Conditions

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Double blinded, three-armed RCT
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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Inositol + alpha lipoic acid

Inositol 1000 mg + alpha lipoic acid 400 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Inositol + alpha lipoic acid

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Inositol 1000 mg + alpha lipoic acid 400 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Inositol

Inositol 1000 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Inositol

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Inositol 1000 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Folic acid

Folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Folic acid (placebo comparator)

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Interventions

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Inositol + alpha lipoic acid

Inositol 1000 mg + alpha lipoic acid 400 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Inositol

Inositol 1000 mg + folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Folic acid (placebo comparator)

Folic acid 200 ug: 1 sachet at breakfast and 1 sachet at dinner

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* female subjects
* age between 18 and 40 years old
* diagnosed with PCOS (according to the Rotterdam criteria)
* not use of possible interfering drugs in the 4 previous months
* written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

* BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2
* acute illnesses
* chronic kidney or hepatic disease
* pregnant
* taking possible interfering drugs
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Laborest Italia SPA

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Universita di Verona

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Paolo Moghetti

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Paolo Moghetti, Professor

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Università degli studi di Verona

Locations

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Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona

Verona, , Italy

Site Status

Countries

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Italy

References

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Other Identifiers

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CE10403

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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