title: Effect of dutasteride 0.5 mg/d in men with androgenetic alopecia recalcitrant to finasteride.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Finasteride at a dose of 1 mg/d has been reported to show no significant improvement in 30-50% of patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Dutasteride, a dual inhibitor of both type I and type II 5 alpha-reductase, inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which is the key contributor of AGA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our aim is to evaluate clinical efficacy and tolerability of dutasteride in men with AGA who do not show clinical improvement to the conventional finasteride treatment. A total of 35 Korean men with AGA who had not shown significant clinical improvement when treated with finasteride 1 mg/d for at least six months received dutasteride at a dose of 0.5 mg/d for six months. Efficacy was evaluated by global photograph assessment and phototrichogram. Safety assessment was performed through physical examination and adverse event report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 31 patients who completed the treatment, 24 patients (77.4%) were improved by the global photography (17 were slightly, six moderately, and one markedly improved) compared with the post-finasteride treatment. There was no significant change in seven patients (22.6%), and aggravation was not reported. Hair density and thickness significantly increased by 10.3% (87 ± 12-96 ± 12/cm(2)) and 18.9% (0.053 ± 0.012-0.063 ± 0.011 mm), respectively, in phototrichogram assessment. Side effects included transient sexual dysfunction in six patients (17.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dutasteride is suggestive to be an alternative treatment option to patients with AGA who do not clinically respond to finasteride in six months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Je Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Jee Woong
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Soon Hyo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Beom Joon
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.forename: Kyoung Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chang Hun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huh
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001378:Azasteroids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068538:Dutasteride; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006197:Hair / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D019233:Retreatment; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D001378:Azasteroids; D018120:Finasteride; D000068538:Dutasteride