title: Low-dose (2.5 mg/day) finasteride treatment in hirsutism.
abstract: This study was performed to confirm the therapeutic effects of low-dose, (2.5 mg/day) finasteride in hirsute women. Our study was a non-randomized prospective clinical trial. Twenty-nine patients with hirustism were included in the study. The patients received 2.5 mg finasteride once a day over a period of 12 months. Follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, sex hormone binding globulin, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, estradiol, androstenedione, total and free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels and hirsutism scores were determined in all patients before treatment and at every 6 months during the therapy. The hirsutism score decreased from a mean of 18.4 +/- 4.6 to 8.4 +/- 4.2 during the study. The per cent reduction in hirsutism score (mean +/- SD) at 6 and 12 months was 29.2 +/- 14.5 and 55.7 +/- 14.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in any of the hormone levels and no serious side-effects were observed during the treatment. In conclusion, low-dose finasteride (2.5 mg/day) is a cost-effective, well-tolerated therapeutic agent without significant abnormal biochemical findings and can be used in place of high-dose (5 mg/day) finasteride in the treatment of hirsutism.
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Müderris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Güven
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozçelik
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Keleştimur
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride