Comparison of the Effects of Desoceptive and Etisterone Pills on the Clinical, Hormonal, and Metabolic Findings of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Oral contraceptives (OCs) have been recommended as the first-line drug therapy for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Desoceptive and Etisterone OCs on the clinical, hormonal, and metabolic parameters of patients with PCOS over six months.

In this randomized clinical trial, 200 patients with PCOS were randomly assigned to one of the intervention groups: Desoceptive (ethinyl estradiol+desogestrel) and Etisterone (ethinyl estradiol+cyproterone acetate). The outcomes of interest included the androgenic profile, Ferriman-Gallwey score, and anthropometric and metabolic parameters.

After 3-6 months of treatment with OCs, there were no significant differences in the levels of androgens, including the free androgen index, sex hormone-binding globulin, total testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate between patients treated with Desoceptive and Etisterone. The results also showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the Ferriman-Gallwey score and anthropometric parameters. After 3-6 months of treatment, patients treated with Desoceptive had lower serum triglyceride levels than those treated with Etisterone (regression coefficient: -32.3; 95% CI: -56.4, -8.2; P=0.009 and regression coefficient: -33.5; 95% CI: -57.6, -9.4; P=0.006, respectively). Moreover, the results showed that three months after treatment, patients treated with Desoceptive had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) than those treated with Etisterone (regression coefficient: 12.3; 95% CI: 0.5, 24.1; P=0.040), while after six months of treatment, the LDL level was not significantly different between the two groups.

Based on the present findings, use of OCs, containing anti-androgenic and androgenic progestins for 3-6 months, did not significantly change the hormonal profile or anthropometric and hirsutism parameters. OCs containing Desogestrel were associated with a more significant decrease in the triglyceride level, while OCs containing cyproterone acetate were associated with a more significant increase in LDL.