Acupuncture for emotional disorder and quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome-A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Infertility, obesity, hairiness, acne and other symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome can easily lead to emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and also affect the patients’ quality of life. A large number of studies have shown that acupuncture has a good effect on polycystic ovary syndrome, but there is no evidence that acupuncture can relieve the affective disorders and improve the quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for emotional disorder and quality of life in patients with PCOS. Methods and analysis From inception to July 31, 2022, a total of four English-language databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and four Chinese-language databases (the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, Chinese Biomedical) were searched. The randomized clinical trial (RCT) of acupuncture for polycystic ovary syndrome was selected for inclusion in the study. Statistical analysis will be performed by using the Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan 5.4) software. The strength of the evidence will be assessed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results and conclusion This study will systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for emotional disorder and quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.