Therapeutic effect of metformin for clomiphene-resistant infertility patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic analysis

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of metformin (MTF) in treatment of clomiphene (CC)-resistant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The published articles of randomized controlled trial (RCT) of comparison of MTF combined with CC and CC alone in treatment of CC-resistant PCOS were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, EBSCO databases and Cochrane Library, and these studies were screened under inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included studies and extract data of comparison of ovulation rates and pregnancy rates were evaluated. And the Meta-analysis using statistic software RevMan 5.0 was completed. Total of 333 patients in total 8 trials were included. Meta analysis showed that MTF plus CC led to a significantly higher clinical ovulation rate (OR = 7.31, 95%CI: 2.57 - 20.76, P < 0.05) and pregnancy rate (OR = 7.93, 95%CI: 2.45 - 25.63, P < 0.05) than that of CC alone. MTF can increase ovulation and pregnancy rates of CC-resistant PCOS women.