The treatment of essential hirsutism in women with cyproterone acetate and ethinyl estradiol. Clinical and endocrine effects in 10 cases.
Ten women with essential hirsutism were treated for one year with cyclic administration of cyproterone acetate and ethinyl estradiol. Biochemical and clinical control took place after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. In 4 patients great improvement of hirsutism was noted, but only after 6 months of therapy. In 4 patients there was some improvement, while 2 were resistant. Side effects included reduced libido in 4 cases, mental depression in 3, dry skin and itching in 4 and transient nausea in one, but never necessitated cessation or interruption of treatment. Several changes in endocrine function took place during treatment: testosterone secretion rate diminished together with the urinary excretion of 17-KS and 17-KGS, while the serum concentration of testosterone binding globulin increased. There was a reduction in the serum concentration of total endogenous estrogens and progesterone as well as LH. No changes in hepatic, renal or hematologic parameters were found except for a slight increase in plasma prothrombin time. Clinical outcome of therapy could not be correlated with a pretreatment endocrine "profile", nor with the changes that this therapy induced in endocrine function. It is concluded that the anti-androgenic effect is probably the most important in this drug regimen, but that reversibility of hirsutism may depend upon factors not directly related to androgen influence.
D015065:17-Hydroxycorticosteroids / Q000652:urine; D015068:17-Ketosteroids / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D015065:17-Hydroxycorticosteroids; D015068:17-Ketosteroids; D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D011374:Progesterone; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D003534:Cyproterone