CLINICAL AND ENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF FINASTERIDE, A 5-ALPHA-REDUCTASE INHIBITOR, IN WOMEN WITH IDIOPATHIC HIRSUTISM

Objective: To evaluate the effects of long-term administration of fina steride on hirsutism score, basal gonadotropin, and androgen secretion in women with idiopathic hirsutism. Design: Randomized single-blinded study. Patients: Eighteen patients with moderate-severe hirsutism wer e recruited for the study. Interventions: Nine hirsute patients receiv ed 7.5 mg/d oral finasteride for a period of 9 months whereas the othe r nine were treated with placebo. Hirsutism score, serum basal gonadot ropin, androgens, estrogen, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) le vels were evaluated in all patients before treatment and every 3 month s during treatment. Results: After 6 and 9 months of treatment, the hi rsutism score improved significantly in the patients receiving finaste ride, whereas no significant modifications were observed in patients t reated with placebo. The side effects observed were headache and depre ssion of modest entity during the Ist month of treatments, whereas lib ido did not change. Serum levels of LH, FSH, androstenedione, unbound T, DHEAS, E(2), 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, and SHBG did not change during therapy. Hirsute patients treated with finasteride exhibited a marked decrease of dihydrotestosterone and a significant increase of T serum levels from the 3rd and 6th months of treatment, respectively. Conclusion: Finasteride decreased the hirsutism score of patients affe cted by idiopathic hirsutism with few side effects during treatment. N o modification of libido was observed.