Ovarian Function After Renal Transplantation: Comparison of Cyclosporin A With Azathioprine and Prednisone Combination Regimens

The study assessed ovarian function in 24 women after renal transplantation, comparing those treated with cyclosporin A (10 patients) to those treated with a combination of azathioprine and prednisone (14 patients). There were no differences in clinical or endocrine indices of ovarian function between the two groups. However, excessive hair growth was common in both groups. Higher levels of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone in cyclosporin-treated women were attributed to prednisone-induced suppression of adrenal androgen output in the azathioprine and prednisone group. The presence of excessive hair growth in postmenopausal women on both treatments suggested that hypertrichosis was a consequence of renal transplantation rather than a specific side effect of cyclosporin A.