Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology (CEOG) is published by IMR Press from Volume 47 Issue 1 (2020). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with S.O.G.
Usefulness of a 12-month treatment with finasteride in idiophatic and polycystic ovary syndrome-associated hirsutism
Objective: Hirsutism is considered as a skin disease due to increased 5α-reductase activity in the pilosebaceous unit and finasteride is a drug that inhibits this enzymatic activity. This study showed the effectiveness of a chronic treatment with a selective 5α reductase inhibitor, finasteride, in idiopathic and PCOS-associated hirsutism. Methods: Finasteride was administered orally at a daily dose of 5 mg for a period of 12 months to 20 women with IH and 20 women with PCOS. Main outcome measures: Each group was submitted to clinical (with Ferriman-Gallwey method) and serum hormonal (FSH, LH, 17β-estradiol, total and free T, ∆4-androstenedione, DHEAS, dihydrotestosterone, 3α-androstanediol glucuronide) studies at base-line and after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. Results: After 3 months of finasteride treatment, a significant decrease in the average hirsutism scores was recorded both in IH (p < 0.0001) and PCOS patients (p < 0.0001). A progressive significant decrease of hirsutism score was observed in IH patients after 6 and 12 months (p < 0.002) and in PCOS patients after 6 but not 12 months. In fact, the maximal therapeutic effect on the hirsutism was obtained after 12 months in the IH and 6 months in PCOS group.