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Outcome of long-term treatment with the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride in idiopathic hirsutism: clinical and hormonal effects during a 1-year course of therapy and 1-year follow-up

1996; Elsevier BV; Volume: 66; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0015-0282(16)58627-0

1556-5653

Roberto Castello, Flavia Tosi, Fabrizia Perrone, Carlo Negri, Michele Muggeo, Paolo Moghetti,

Reproductive Biology and Fertility

To evaluate the long-term efficacy of the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride in idiopathic hirsutism. Prospective clinical study. Outpatients in a university hospital. Fourteen young women with idiopathic hirsutism. Finasteride, 5 mg once daily, was given for 12 months. Degree of hirsutism, graded by a modified Ferriman and Gallwey score, serum sex hormones, and serum and urinary markers of 5α-reductase activity. Clinical outcome was evaluated up to and including the 1-year post-treatment period. The Ferriman and Gallwey score showed a remarkable reduction after 12 months of finasteride treatment (4.4 ± 0.7 versus 11.8 ± 1.0; mean ± SEM). Serum levels of the two 5α-reductase activity markers, dihydrotestosterone and 3α-androstanediol glucuronide, decreased, and urinary C19 and C21 5β:5α steroid metabolite ratios consistently increased during finasteride administration. These changes were reversed readily after cessation of treatment. No significant adverse effect was reported. Nine of 14 women completed the 1-year post-treatment follow-up. Their hirsutism scores were increased substantially as compared with values recorded at the end of therapy, but still were lower than baseline values. The 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride is effective and well tolerated in long-term treatment of women with idiopathic hirsutism. Post-treatment follow-up suggests that drug effects on hair growth are sustained in the majority of subjects with this disorder.