Abstract
Objective To compare the effectiveness of finasteride and flutamide in the treatment of idiopathic hirsutism.
Setting Department of Gynecological Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Italy.
PATIENT(S): Forty-six women with idiopathic hirsutism were selected.
INTERVENTION(S): Patients were assigned randomly to receive 5 mg of finasteride once daily or 250 mg of flutamide twice daily for 12 consecutive months.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Hirsutism was evaluated at 6 and 12 months of therapy by measuring the Ferriman-Gallwey score and the terminal-hair diameters (microm) taken from different body areas. Blood samples were taken and side effects were monitored during the treatment.
RESULT(S): Both finasteride and flutamide induced a statistically significant decrease in hirsutism scores and hair diameters at the end of 12 months. Finasteride reduced the Ferriman-Gallwey score by 20.5% at 6 months and by 34.2% at 12 months, and hair diameter by 18.9%-23.6% at 6 months and by 29.6%-37.9% at 12 months. Flutamide reduced the Ferriman-Gallwey score by 26.6% at 6 months and by 50.9% at 12 months, and hair diameter by 22.3%-28.2% at 6 months and by 47.7%-56.5% at 12 months. Flutamide did not induce hormonal variations, whereas finasteride increased T levels by 60% and decreased 3alpha-androstanediol glucuronide by 69.5% at 12 months.
CONCLUSION(S): Both drugs were effective in the treatment of idiopathic hirsutism, but flutamide was more effective than finasteride.
finasteride flutamide idiopathic hirsutism treatment comparison, antiandrogen therapy hirsutism Ferriman-Gallwey score, flutamide versus finasteride hair diameter reduction, idiopathic hirsutism randomized study antiandrogen, 5-alpha reductase inhibitor hirsutism finasteride women, flutamide 250 mg hirsutism treatment effectiveness, hair diameter measurement terminal hair antiandrogen therapy, androstanediol glucuronide finasteride testosterone levels hirsutism, Falsetti Gambera hirsutism antiandrogen comparison, PCOS hirsutism pharmacological treatment outcomes
PMID 10428146 10428146 DOI 10.1016/s0015-0282(99)00183-1 10.1016/s0015-0282(99)00183-1
Keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Androgen Antagonists/adverse Effects/therapeutic Use, Androstane-3, 17-diol/analogs & Derivatives/blood, Body Mass Index, Enzyme Inhibitors/adverse Effects/therapeutic Use, Female, Finasteride/adverse Effects/therapeutic Use, Flutamide/adverse Effects/therapeutic Use, Hair/drug Effects, Hirsutism/blood/drug Therapy, Humans, Testosterone/blood, Treatment Outcome, Androgen Antagonists, Enzyme Inhibitors, Androstane-3, 17-diol, Androstane-3, 17-diol Glucuronide, Testosterone, Finasteride, Flutamide