EFFICACY ON HYPERANDROGENISM AND SAFETY OF A NEW ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVE BIPHASIC FORMULATION CONTAINING DESOGESTREL

A new biphasic oral contraceptive (OC) containing ethinylestradiol and desogestrel (DGS) in both phases of the cycle (7 days 40/25 mug + 15 days 30/125 mug) was tested for its reliability, tolerability, safety and effectiveness on endocrine correlates of hyperandrogenism and acne in normal women (n = 30) and women suffering from acne (n = 33). Cont raceptive efficacy was absolute and, despite 3 drop-outs in the group with acne (4.7% of total patients), subjective complaints were limited to a small number of women. Cycle control was satisfactory in both gr oups. Fibrinopeptide A remained stable under the treatment, whereas HD L-chol increased and the ratio between LDL-chol and HDL-chol decreased during pill intake. Other advantageous effects were obtained on the c irculating androgen profile with increased sex hormone binding globuli n concentrations coupled with significantly reduced total and free tes tosterone levels. In 23 out of 30 patients with acne (76.6%) the skin disease disappeared after 9 months of therapy and in 3 severely affect ed subjects the pathology changed into a pattern of mild or moderate d egree. Our results indicate that the tested new biphasic OC combinatio n is reliable, well tolerated, safe and effective against hyperandroge nism.