Short term effects of spironolactone on blood lipid profile: a 3-month study on a cohort of young women with hirsutism.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of spironolactone on serum lipids in women with hirsutism over a 3-month period.


METHODS
In a prospective setting, 27 hirsute women (20 with polycystic ovary syndrome and seven with idiopathic hirsutism) with a mean age of 23.0 +/- 5.1 years were studied at baseline and 3 months after receiving a daily dose of 100 mg of spironolactone. Patients did not receive any other medications and did not go through a specific diet during the study. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and prolactin (PRL) were measured at baseline and 3 months after therapy.


RESULTS
Mean body mass index of patients was 26.1 +/- 5.1 kg m(-2) before treatment and 25.9 +/- 5.7 kg m(-2) after treatment (NS). The therapy was associated with a significant decline of mean high-density lipoprotein (HDL), 39.5 mg dl(-1)[95% confidence interval (CI) 35.6, 43.4]vs. 32.2 mg dl(-1) (95% CI 29.2, 35.2), and a significant increase in mean low-density lipoprotein (LDL), 133.1 mg dl(-1) (95% CI 120.2, 146) vs. 150.8 mg dl(-1) (95% CI 139.1, 162.5), and cholesterol/HDL ratio, 5 (95% CI 4.4, 5.6) vs. 6.4 (95% CI 5.7, 7.1) (P < 0.05). No significant change was noted in total cholesterol, triglyceride or fasting blood glucose levels. Serum values of testosterone, DHEAS and PRL decreased significantly after 3 months of therapy (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Spironolactone might have adverse effects on serum lipoprotein levels by increasing LDL and decreasing HDL over a short course of treatment. While treating hirsutism with spironolactone, special care should be given to women with metabolic disorders such as dyslipidaemia.
Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Centre (EMRC), Vali-Asr Hospital, Tehran, Iran. nakhjavanim@tums.ac.ir
Manouchehr
M
Nakhjavani
Sepehr
S
Hamidi
Alireza
A
Esteghamati
Mehrshad
M
Abbasi
Simindokht
S
Nosratian-Jahromi
Parvin
P
Pasalar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone