Work

Efficacy of Acupuncture in Alleviating Negative Emotions in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Year: 2025

Type: review

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Preliminary studies have indicated that acupuncture may play a role in the management of negative emotions in patients with PCOS. However, the available evidence is predominantly of low quality. Consequently, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the validity of acupuncture as a therapeutic modality for treating negative emotional symptoms in patients with PCOS. METHODS: A meticulous search of nine databases was performed to identify randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of negative emotions in individuals diagnosed with PCOS. The principal outcome was evaluated using the SDS and SAS scales, while secondary outcomes encompassed the Rosenfield scores, Ferriman-Gallwey (F-G) scores, and BMI. The risk of bias was appraised with the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. RESULTS: This meta-analysis synthesized the findings of seven studies that collectively provided evidence supporting the hypothesis that acupuncture may be more effective than drug treatment in alleviating SDS. However, the findings did not demonstrate significant efficacy in improving SAS. The analysis further revealed that acupuncture could effectively improve the F-G score in patients with PCOS, although it was not significantly effective for the Rosenfield score. The GRADE assessment assigned a low level of certainty to the SDS and F-G scores and a very low level of certainty to the SAS, Rosenfield, and BMI scores, emphasizing the necessity for additional high-quality RCTs to validate these findings. CONCLUSION: This study identified the potential of acupuncture in alleviating depression in patients with PCOS. Nonetheless, the evidence substantiating these findings was restricted by the poor quality of the included RCTs, precluding the drawing of definitive conclusions. Until more substantial evidence emerges, caution should be exercised regarding assertions of the therapeutic potential of acupuncture for treating negative emotions associated with PCOS.

Source: Brain and Behavior

DOI: 10.1002/brb3.71129