title: Finasteride for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of finasteride, an inhibitor of dihydrotestosterone synthesis, in the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy were prospectively enrolled in this pilot study. Patients were administered finasteride (5 mg) daily for 3 months, after which study medication was withheld and patients were observed for 3 months. Main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity, central subfield macular thickness, and subretinal fluid volume as assessed by optical coherence tomography. Serum dihydrotestosterone, serum testosterone, and urinary cortisol were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no change in mean best-corrected visual acuity. Mean center-subfield macular thickness and subretinal fluid volume reached a nadir at 3 months and rose to levels that were below baseline by 6 months. The changes in both optical coherence tomography parameters paralleled those in serum dihydrotestosterone level. In four patients, center-subfield macular thickness and/or subretinal fluid volume increased after discontinuation of finasteride. In the remaining patient, both optical coherence tomography parameters normalized with finasteride and remained stable when the study medication was discontinued.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Finasteride may represent a novel medical treatment for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. Larger controlled clinical trials are needed to further assess the efficacy of finasteride for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Farzin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forooghian
authors.forename: Annal D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Meleth
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cukras
authors.forename: Emily Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Wai T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Catherine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Meyerle
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D056833:Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D018120:Finasteride; D006854:Hydrocortisone