| Outcome Measures: |
Primary: Body Weight, The effect of Metformin and acupuncture combined therapy on weight loss (Change from baseline in body weight), body weight was measured while the subjects were dressed in light clothing after an overnight fasting and by a standard scale to an accuracy of +/-0.1 kg. All measures were recorded by one assessment, at baseline before the first time treatment, and before the last time treatment at week 3., baseline, week 3|Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), changes FBS, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Fasting Insulin (FINS), change of FINS,Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 changes, IL-6 were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Blood markers changes in TNF α, were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|C-reaction Protein (CRP), CRP blood markers changes; Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Free Fatty Acids (FFAs), Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Triglyceride (TG), baseline, week 2, week 3|Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDLc), baseline, week 2, week 3|High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDLc), HDLc changes, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Ceramides, Changes in ceramides blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Leptin, changes in Leptin blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Adiponectin, Changes in Adiponectin blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), changes in GLP-1 blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Resistin, Changes in Resistin blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3|Serotonin, changes in Serotonin blood level, Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3 | Secondary: Body Mass Index (BMI), change of BMI. Body height was measured to an accuracy of +/-0.1cm. BMI was calculated by dividing weight (kg) into height (squared m²)., baseline, week 3|HOMA-IR, Changes of IR was calculated by the homeostasis model (HOMA-IR), proposed by Matthews et al. HOMA-IR = (fasting insulin (mmol/L) × fasting glucose (µIU/ml))/22•5. Blood markers were calculated by measuring them after drawing 10 ml of blood from cubital vein in each patient, after 8 hours of overnight fasting and before treatment; Blood was collected three times during the study (at the beginning, at the 5th time, and at the end), from groups, using standard range and ELISA diagnostic kits (Biomatik USA LLC, www.biomatik.com), and clinical assessments and measurements undertaken after 3 weeks. Readings/assessment was performed at 3 weeks., baseline, week 2, week 3
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