Letrozole or Combined Clomiphene Citrate Metformin as a First Line Treatment in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare and determine the efficacy of letrozole administration to that of combined metformin and Clomiphene in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) not treated before with any ovulation induction agent
ConditionPolycystic Ovary Syndrome
InterventionDrug: Letrozole
Drug: Clomiphene
Drug: Metformin
PhaseN/A
SponsorAssiut University
Responsible PartyAssiut University
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01679574
First ReceivedAugust 31, 2012
Last UpdatedSeptember 6, 2012
Last verifiedSeptember 2012

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateAugust 31, 2012
Last Updated DateSeptember 6, 2012
Start DateJanuary 2009
Estimated Primary Completion DateJanuary 2012
Current Primary Outcome Measuresovulation rate [Time Frame: 3 years] [Designated as safety issue: No]Principally the ovulation rate as well as the number of growing and mature follicles and endometrial thickness (mm).
Current Secondary Outcome MeasuresThe occurrence of pregnancy and miscarriage [Time Frame: 3 years] [Designated as safety issue: No]The occurrence of pregnancy and miscarriage

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleLetrozole or Combined Clomiphene Citrate Metformin as a First Line Treatment in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Official TitleLetrozole Versus Clomiphene Citrate Plus Metformin in the First Treatment of Infertility in Patients With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to compare and determine the efficacy of letrozole
administration to that of combined metformin and Clomiphene in infertile women with
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) not treated before with any ovulation induction agent
Detailed Description
The study will be in 200 patient diagnosed to have PCOS among those attending the Fertility
Outpatient Clinic at the Women's Health Center, Assiut University Hospitals.

The present study was prospective randomized controlled trial conducted over a period of 3
years from 1st of January 2009 to 1st of January 2012, at the Women's Health Center, Assiut
University hospital, Assiut, Egypt, after approval was received from the Ethics Committee of
faculty of medicine , Assiut University. Women referred to the infertility clinic in women's
health center were screened for PCO using Rotterdam consensus criteria for the diagnosis of
PCOS. The patients who were newly diagnosed as PCO and not treated previously were invited
to participate in our study. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant
after an information sheet had been provided. The patients had the right to refuse
participation in the study or to withdraw at any time without being denied their full
regular clinical care. All personal information and medical data were confidential and were
not made available to third parties. All participants met the Rotterdam consensus criteria
for the diagnosis of PCOS. At admission, a thorough medical history was taken and all women
underwent physical examination, which included anthropometric measurements and after
spontaneous menstruation or progestin induced withdrawal bleeding, basal endocrine
evaluation on day 3 of the cycle included measurement of the serum concentrations of
luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH),thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH
) and prolactin. Then vaginal sonographic examination were done to measure endometrial
thickness and exclude cases endometrial pathology or baseline ovarian cysts.

The participants were randomized to receive letrozole or clomiphene citrate plus metformin.
Randomization was performed using a computer-generated random numbers table, and allocation
concealment was achieved using serially numbered opaque envelopes that were only opened once
the interventions were assigned.

In the letrozole group, the ovaries were stimulated using 2.5mg/day letrozole (Femara;
Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland) for 5 days,in the form of one tablet( 2.5 mg) per day
for 5 days from day 3 to day 7 of the menstrual cycle and if ovulation has occurred with
no pregnancy continue on the same dose for another 2 consecutive cycles ,but if no
ovulation increase the dose to 2 tablets per day(5 mg) for another 2 consecutive cycles in
the same manner .

The patients in the second group will take metformin (Cidophage tablets,500 mg per tablet;
CID, ARE, in an oral dose of 1,500 mg/d) 500mg three times daily for 3 months Plus
clomid(50-mg tablets twice daily; Global Napi Pharmaceuticals, Cairo, Egypt , Arab Republic
of Egypt) In the form of 50 mg twice daily (100mg /day) for 5 days from day 3 to day 7 of
menstrual cycle and to be repeated for 3 consecutive cycles in the same manner if no
pregnancy occur.

In both groups, endometrial thickness and mean follicular diameter were assessed by the same
investigator using transvaginal ultrasound on days 2 ,10, 12, and 14 of the menstrual
cycle, and 10 000 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (Pregnyl; Organon, Oss, The
Netherlands) were injected intramuscularly if there was at least 1 leading follicle
measuring 18 mm or more in diameter and endometrial thickness detected at that
time(endometrial thickness was determined at the greatest diameter perpendicular to the
midsagittal plane in the fundal region, including both layers of the endometrium). All
participants were advised to have intercourse 24-36 hours after the hCG injection. Two days
after being given Human chorionic gonadotropin, the patients were assessed for signs of
ovulation (disappearance of preovulatory follicle, fluid in the cul-de-sac, and/or corpus
luteum formation). Pregnancy will be diagnosed when positive pregnancy test in urine done or
a gestational sac was detected on transvaginal ultrasound examination 1week after the missed
period or serum β-hCG concentration 14 days after HCG injection if menses had not occurred.
A biochemical pregnancy was considered when the serum β-hCG concentration was 50 mIU/mL or
more in the absence of menstruation. All study medication were stopped when there was
positive pregnancy test.Pregnant patients then will be followed up until an ultrasound could
document the viability of pregnancy. A clinical pregnancy was defined as the presence of a
gestational sac with a beating fetal heart on transvaginal ultrasound. A spontaneous
abortion was defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the end of the 20th week.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhaseN/A
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment
ConditionPolycystic Ovary Syndrome
InterventionDrug: Letrozole
•Drug: Letrozole tablets (Femara; Novartis Pharma, Switzerland) 2.5 mg letrozole daily from day 3 of the menses for 5 days
Other Names:
Femara; Novartis Pharma, SwitzerlandDrug: Clomiphene
•Drug: CC (Clomid®; Global Napi Pharmaceuticals, Cairo, Egypt) 100 mg CC for 5 days starting from day 3 of menstruation
Other Names:
clomidDrug: Metformin
•Drug: metformin HCl (Cidophage®; CID,Cairo, Egypt) metformin HCl 1500 daily for 3 months
Other Names:
Cidophage
Study Arm (s)
  • Experimental: letrozole
    Letrozole tablets (Femara; Novartis Pharma, Switzerland) 2.5 mg letrozole daily from day 3 of the menses for 5 days
  • Active Comparator: Metformin and clomiphene
    .Drug: metformin (Cidophage®; CID,Cairo, Egypt) metformin 1500 daily for 3 months
    Drug: CC (Clomid®; Global Napi Pharmaceuticals, Cairo, Egypt) 100 mg CC for 5 days starting from day 3 of menstruation

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusCompleted
Estimated Enrollment200
Estimated Completion DateJanuary 2012
Estimated Primary Completion DateJanuary 2012
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- All participants met the Rotterdam consensus criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS .
.Primary infertility because of anovulation for at least 1 year.

- Only fresh (not treated previously) cases were recruited. .The male partner of each
participant was required to have a normal result on semen analysis
(count>20million/ml,motility>40%and normal morphology >30%).

- Each woman was required to have patent tubes on hysterosalpingography or on a
diagnostic laparoscopy.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Age below 18 years or above 35 years , trial of ovulation induction prior to the
stud ,BMI >35 .

- Presence of other causes of infertility; hyperprolactinemia (morning plasma prolactin
concentration 30 ng/mL or more); any other endocrine, hepatic, or renal disorder;
presence of an organic pelvic mass;

- History of abdominal surgery that might have caused pelvic factor infertility.
GenderFemale
Ages18 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesEgypt

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT01679574
Other Study ID Numberspcolcm
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeNo
Information Provided ByAssiut University
Study SponsorAssiut University
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Study Chair: Tarek al Hussaini, prof assiut university hospitalStudy Director: Safowt Abd El Rady, Prof Assiut university hosiptalStudy Director: Mohamad S Abd Allah, Ass prof assiut university hosital
Verification DateSeptember 2012

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

Assiut University
Assiut, Egypt, 11111