THE EFFICACY OF 250 MG DAY FLUTAMIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH HIRSUTISM/

Objective: To investigate the effects of low dose flutamide (250 mg/d) on hirsutism score and some hormone levels in women with hirsutism. D esign: Nonrandomized, prospective clinical trial. Patients: Forty-one patients with moderate-severe hirsutism were included in the study. in tervention: Hirsute patients received 250 mg/d flutamide for a period of 6 months. Main Outcome Measures: Hirsutism score, FSH, LH, E(2), to tal T, free T, androstenedione, DHEAS, PRL, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, an d sex hormone-binding globulin levels were detected in all the patient s before treatment and every 3 months during treatment. Results: Treat ment with the antiandrogen flutamide resulted in a particularly rapid and marked decrease in the hirsutism score, which decreased from 17.48 +/- 5.35 to 5.07 +/- 2.89 after 6 months. No significant changes in t he levels of hormone and no serious side effects were observed in the study. Conclusion: The low-dose flutamide, 250 mg/d, is a cost-effecti ve drug in the treatment of hirsutism. Low-dose flutamide may be used in place of high-dose flutamide, 500 to 750 mg/d.