Flutamide suppresses adrenal steroidogenesis but has no effect on insulin resistance and secretion and lipid levels in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The authors evaluate the effects of 2 months of treatment with 250 mg flutamide daily on adrenal steroidogenesis (ACTH test) and metabolic parameters (lipids, insulin resistance) in 12 PCOS women aged 33.8 +/- 7.5 years and with a BMI of 33.6 +/- 4.2 kg/m2. Significant decreases in basal DHEA-S (p < 0.0001), DHEA (p < 0.01) and androstenedione (p < 0.05), in the ACTH-stimulated levels of DHEA-S (p < 0.0001), testosterone (p < 0.05) and in ACTH-stimulated 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (p < 0.01) were observed. No significant change in basal blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides or in insulin resistance, as estimated by the insulin tolerance test, was found. Flutamide is effective in reducing adrenal androgen production in overweight women, but has no effect on lipid spectrum or on insulin resistance.