An Open Randomized Comparative Study of an Oral Contraceptive Containing Ethinyl Estradiol and Cyproterone Acetate with and without the GnRH Analogue Goserelin in the Long-Term Treatment of Hirsutism

    January 1996 in “ Gynecologic and obstetric investigation ”
    Walter Vegetti, Giovanna Testa, Paola Maggioni, Tiziano Motta, L. Falsetti, Pier Giorgio Crosignani
    TLDR The oral contraceptive alone is the preferred treatment for hirsutism, as adding the GnRH analog showed no significant benefit.
    In a study from 1996, researchers compared the effectiveness of a combined therapy using a GnRH analog (goserelin) with an oral contraceptive (OC) containing ethinyl estradiol and cyproterone acetate, against the same OC alone for treating severe hirsutism. Both subjective evaluations by physicians and patients, and objective measurements of hair diameter from various body areas were used to assess treatment outcomes. While 95% of patients showed a partial response subjectively, objective data revealed a significant reduction in hair diameter for both treatments, especially on the abdomen and face. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, leading to the conclusion that OC alone remains the preferred treatment for hirsutism. The potential benefits of adding a GnRH analog to OC treatment require further study and might be considered for patients who do not respond to OC alone.
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