Sampling
oligomenorrhea, PCOS, hirsutism
BLOOD, INSULIN RESISTANCE, OLIGOMENORRHEA, HIRSUTISM
Sampling started after the approval of the ethics committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Ethics code: IR.TBZMED.REC.1398.017) and registering the study in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) (Code: IRCT20120718010324N51). The researcher attended at the health centers in the Eslamshahr city and searched for women with eligible criteria and willingness to participate in the study. They were surveyed based on Rotterdam criteria (the presence of two of the three criteria is enough to diagnose PCOS) which include oligomenorrhea (i.e., a menstrual cycle that lasts more than 35 days or having four to nine cycles each year) [After PCOS was confirmed, written consent is obtained in case of the patient’s willingness to participate in the study and questionnaires regarding socio-demographic and menstrual cycle characteristics were completed. A food consumption frequency questionnaire was also provided to the participants to record their average annual food consumption. The hirsutism score of the participants was determined by the researcher using Ferriman-Gallwey criteria as well as their weight and height to determine their BMI before intervention were measured. A checklist was given to the participants to remind them of their daily medication use, and they were contacted monthly to ensure that they were taking the medication.The participants’ biochemical parameters including Fasting Blood Insulin (FBI), Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C were measured before intervention and then 3 months after. The participants were directed to Ava laboratory in Eslamshahr for those measurements. Venous sampling was used with a 5 ml syringe by the laboratory personnel to extract 5 ml of blood from the brachial region. The test results were provided to the researcher. Three months after the intervention, hormonal tests (testosterone and SHBG) were measured as well. All blood tests were conducted at a certain stage of the menstrual cycle (follicular phase). Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated based on FBS and FBI. The participants were to refrain from using hormonal drugs, and supplements, having specific diets or doing heavy sports during the study.