Usefulness of a 12-month treatment with finasteride in idiophathic and polycystic ovary syndrome-associated hirsutism.
OBJECTIVE
Hirsutism is considered as a skin disease due to increased 5 alpha-reductase activity in the pilosebaceous unit and finasteride is a drug that inhibits this enzymatic activity. This study showed the effectiveness of a chronic treatment with a selective 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, finasteride, in idiopathic and PCOS-associated hirsutism.


METHODS
Finasteride was administered orally at a daily dose of 5 mg for a period of 12 months to 20 women with IH and 20 women with PCOS.


METHODS
Each group was submitted to clinical (with Ferriman-Gallwey method) and serum hormonal (FSH, LH, 17 beta-estradiol, total and free T, delta 4-androstenedione, DHEAS; dihydrotestosterone, 3 alpha-androstanediol glucuronide) studies at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment.


RESULTS
After 3 months of finasteride treatment, a significant decrease in the average hirsutism scores was recorded both in IH (p < 0.0001) and PCOS patients (p < 0.0001). A progressive significant decrease of hirsutism score was observed in IH patients after 6 and 12 months (p < 0.002) and in PCOS patients after 6 but not 12 months. In fact, the maximal therapeutic effect on the hirsutism was obtained after 12 months in the IH and 6 months in PCOS group.
Petrone
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Federico II, University Naples, Italy.
Civitillo
R M
RM
Galante
L
L
Giannotti
F
F
D'Antò
V
V
Rippa
G
G
Tolino
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride