Hair Growth and Androgen Responses in Hirsute Women Treated with Continuous Cyproterone Acetate and Cyclical Ethinyl Estradiol
December 1987
in “
European journal of endocrinology
”
cyproterone acetate ethinyl oestradiol hirsutism polycystic ovarian syndrome testosterone free testosterone index dehydroepiandrosterone androstenedione LH FSH sex hormone binding globulin PRL cyproterone ethinyl estradiol PCOS testosterone DHEA luteinizing hormone follicle-stimulating hormone SHBG prolactin
TLDR The treatment significantly reduced hair growth and male hormone levels in hirsute women.
In a study from 1987, 18 hirsute women, including 8 with polycystic ovarian syndrome and 10 with idiopathic hirsutism, were treated with 150 mg of cyproterone acetate daily and 50 μg of ethinyl oestradiol on days 5–25 of their menstrual cycle for up to 12 months. The treatment led to a significant reduction in the mean hair growth rate, total plasma testosterone, free testosterone index, plasma dehydroepiandrosterone, and plasma androstenedione levels. Additionally, levels of LH and FSH decreased while sex hormone binding globulin levels increased. However, there were no significant changes in hair density or serum PRL levels. A significant correlation was found between hair growth rate and total plasma testosterone (r = 0.35, P < 0.005), but no significant correlations were observed between hair density and the endocrine parameters studied.
