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.
A comparative study of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and finasteride on idiopathic hirsutism
Objective: To compare the efficacy of finasteride and GnRH agonist in the treatment of idiopathic hirsutism. Methods: Sixty women with hirsutism were randomly assigned to receive either 5 mg of finasteride or long-acting GnRH agonist (depot leuprolide 3.75 mg) intramuscularly monthly for six months. Main outcome measures: Hirsutism scores were measured according to the Ferriman-Gallway scoring system, and side-effects were monitored for six months of treatment. Blood samples were taken at each visit for assessment of endocrine (FSH, LH, estradio1, progesterone, total and free testosterone, androstenedione, DHEAS-S, 17-0H-P, SHBG), biochemical, and hematologic parameters. Results: All of the patients treated with finasteride or GnRH agonist showed neither menstrual abnormalities nor side-effects. The mean percent change(±SD) in hirsutism scores in the GnRH and finasteride groups was 36% ± 14% and 14% ± 11 % at six months, respectively. Serum total testosterone, free testosterone, androstenedion and DHEA-S showed a meaningful decrease in patients treated with GnRH agonist. On the other hand, only serum total testosterone and free testosterone levels decreased with finasteride treatment (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively).