Prolonged treatment of hirsutism with flutamide alone in patients affected by polycystic ovary syndrome.
Hirsutism is a common symptom of women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The effectiveness of the antiandrogen flutamide alone was studied in 25 patients affected by PCOS with severe hirsutism for a period of 24 months. Seventeen of these patients had not been treated before and eight had had previous but unsatisfactory therapy. Nineteen patients showed a normal body weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2) whereas six were obese (BMI > 35 kg/m2). A chemical and endocrinological evaluation and an assessment of the degree of hirsutism, assigned by Ferriman-Gallwey score (mean 22 +/- 3.038), was performed under baseline conditions. Patients started treatment with flutamide (Eulexin, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, USA) at the dose of 500 mg daily. A chronobiological assessment of gonadotropin episodic secretion and of gonadotropin response to GnRH challenge (10 micrograms in bolus) was done before and on day 7 of flutamide administration. During treatment, our patients showed a marked and significant reduction of hirsutism starting from a score of 6 and reaching the maximum (9.6 + 2.1) at 24 months of therapy. No relevant hormonal changes or side-effects were observed during therapy. Our data demonstrate that hirsutism in PCOS can rapidly and markedly respond to treatment with flutamide alone without important side-effects even if administered for a long period.
Pucci
E
E
Endocrinological Institute, University of Pisa, Italy.
Genazzani
A D
AD
Monzani
F
F
Lippi
F
F
Angelini
F
F
Gargani
M
M
Barletta
D
D
Luisi
M
M
Genazzani
A R
AR
D000328:Adult; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005260:Female; D005485:Flutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005485:Flutamide; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone