Clinical and endocrine effects of flutamide in hyperandrogenic women.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical and endocrine effects of the antiandrogen flutamide in hirsute women.

DESIGN

Hirsutism was assessed before and after 3 months of treatment with flutamide 500 mg/d. Endocrine evaluations were performed before and during the 2nd month of treatment with flutamide 500 mg or 750 mg/d.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pisa, Italy.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighteen hirsute women were studied: nine women were hyperandrogenic, and the other 9 had an idiopathic hirsutism.

INTERVENTIONS

Women were randomly treated with flutamide 500 mg/d (9 patients) or 750 mg/d (9 patients) for 3 and 2 months, respectively. Six received placebo 1 month before flutamide treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Hirsutism was assessed by measuring hair diameter. Follicle-stimulating hormone and LH responses to GnRH were evaluated. Basal plasma levels of T, androstenedione (A), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), DHEAS, cortisol (F), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were evaluated. The same hormones were determined after a single dose of flutamide (250 or 500 mg) or placebo throughout a 12-hour period and in samples collected 60 and 120 minutes after ACTH intravenous injection.

RESULTS

Hair diameter was reduced by 30%. Both dosages of flutamide did not change basal and stimulated gonadotropin, T, A, 17-OHP, F, and SHBG levels. Both dosages reduced stimulated DHEAS levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Flutamide may have a beneficial effect on hirsutism. This effectiveness is mainly due to its peripheral antiandrogen action. However, an effect on the adrenal gland seems to be present.