finasteride, Propecia
[Status of scalp hair and therapy of alopecia in men in Switzerland]

[Article in German]

Trueb RM, de Viragh PA; Schweizerische Arbeitsgruppe fur Trichologie.

Universitatsspital Zurich Gloriastrasse 31 8091 Zurich. ramitru derm.unizh.ch

A community-based interview and a questionnaire of men visiting the dermatologist for treatment of hair loss were conducted in Switzerland, to characterize the significance of scalp hair and self-perception of hair loss in Swiss men, and to evaluate current treatment of hair loss. 508 men, aged 15-74 years, regardless of the degree of hair loss, were interviewed by telephone, and 308 patient questionnaires were completed by 19 dermatologists. The questions addressed by the interview were: degree of self-rated hair loss, time invested for hair care, use or reasons for rejecting hair growing agents, relevant criteria for scalp hair, self-assessment with respect to different "hair communication types". The questionnaire analysed the causes of hair loss, prior and current treatment modalities, and follow-up at the dermatologist. Respondents rated their hair loss on a 5-point, textual scale that ranged from 'no hair loss' to 'bald areas'. 43% reported hair loss to some extent. For 42% a full head of hair was very important, especially for men under 29 years, who invested more time for hair care and had not lost hair. Of men with hair loss, 26% previously applied hair growing agents. Of men consulting the dermatologist for hair loss, 90% had androgenetic alopecia. 37% were previously treated: prior treatment was in 59% minoxidil, in 4% finasteride (Propecia), in 7% Aminexil, in 7% dietary supplements, and in 6% conducted by the hair dresser. In 79% treatment was switched to Propecia: of these, 73% adhered to the follow-up consultations at the dermatologist.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11256223&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia



finasteride, Propecia
Lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction: how can clinical expertise contribute to rational management?

Stoevelaar HJ, McDonnell J, Bosch JL, Kahan JP; European Panel on the Appropriate Treatment of BPH.

Institute for Health Care Policy and Management, Erasmus University, PO Box 1738, NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. stoevelaar bmg.eur.nl

OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic analysis of clinical expertise on treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO)) and to investigate the usefulness of these data in further guideline development. METHODS: A modified Delphi method was used to analyse the opinions of a panel of 15 European urologists on the appropriateness of 4 common treatments for 1,152 "indications" (hypothetical cases) for LUTS suggestive of BPO. Each indication consisted of a unique combination of 9 diagnostic variables, found to be relevant in treatment choice in previous research. The study population was restricted to patients for whom current guidelines do not provide clear indications on the most appropriate treatment. The panellists individually rated the appropriateness of three active treatments (surgery, alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists, finasteride) using a 9-point scale, all in comparison with "watchful waiting". Aggregate panel judgements were calculated from individual ratings for each indication (appropriate, inappropriate, and uncertain). The relationship between diagnostic characteristics and panel opinions was analysed using logistic regression methods. The results were compared to those of an identical panel study including 12 Dutch urologists. RESULTS: Strong agreement existed for 42.5% of the indications, while strong disagreement was found in only 0.1%. For patients who had not previously been treated for LUTS, surgery was considered appropriate in 44% of the indications. For alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists and finasteride these percentages were 56 and 6 respectively. Strong contra-indications were found only for finasteride (34%). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated consistent panel opinions, indicating a strong cumulative impact of almost all diagnostic variables on the panel judgement "appropriate". The figures on appropriateness were highly comparable to the results of the Dutch study (overall agreement 84%, kappa 0,76). A computer program was constructed to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of the panel recommendations in daily clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Given the consistency of the panel opinions, the results may be useful in complementing evidence-based guidelines for LUTS suggestive of BPO in the grey area of treatment choice. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11275737&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia



finasteride, Propecia
Combination medical therapy for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Savage SJ, Spungen AM, Galea G, Britanico J, Vapnek JM.

Department of Urology, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment response to terazosin, finasteride, or a combination of both in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with BPH were consecutively enrolled from a clinical urology practice. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), peak urinary flow rate, and prostate volume were assessed at baseline and every 2 months for 12 months. Detrusor pressure at maximum flow was assessed at baseline, 4 and 12 months. Patients were randomized into 1 of 3 treatment groups - terazosin alone, finasteride alone, or combination therapy. RESULTS: At 12 months, symptom scores had decreased significantly in all 3 treatment groups (p<0.05). Combination therapy resulted in significantly greater reductions in IPSS than terazosin or finasteride (6.4, 4.9, 4.1 points, respectively, p<0.05) There were significant increases in peak urinary flow rate within each treatment group, although there were no significant changes between groups. Detrusor pressure also significantly decreased from baseline within each treatment group. Patients treated with combination therapy had a significantly greater mean decrease in detrusor pressure after 12 months when compared with finasteride-treated patients (16.7 versus 10.5 cm H20, p<0.03). There were no significant differences between terazosin and combination therapy or between terazosin and finasteride despite the relatively greater decrease in detrusor pressure seen in the terazosin group when compared with the finasteride group. CONCLUSIONS: Combination medical therapy with finasteride and terazosin provides greater symptom relief than monotherapy in men with BPH.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11305957&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia



finasteride, Propecia
Cost-sharing for prescriptions of sildenafil and finasteride: a case study in veteran patients.

Yu EI, Glassman PA, Asch SM, Paige NM, Passman LJ, Shekelle PG.

Center for the Study of Healthcare Provider Behavior, Division of General Internal Medicine, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA. emily.yu med.va.gov

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients willingness to share the costs of 2 medications (often described as "lifestyle medications"): sildenafil for erectile dysfunction and finasteride for hair loss, which are not routinely covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. STUDY DESIGN: Self-administered, anonymous survey. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adult men (n = 339) were recruited from waiting rooms for primary care or erectile dysfunction clinic appointments at 2 Los Angeles VA facilities. RESULTS: Participants with self-reported need were analyzed separately for finasteride (primary care patients only) and sildenafil (both primary care and erectile dysfunction clinic patients). The mean age of the participants was 56 and 60 years for the finasteride and sildenafil groups, respectively. Mean annual household income for both groups was under $10,000. Respondents reported a mean willingness to cost-share $4.20 for a 30-day prescription of daily finasteride (VA wholesale cost = $27) and $5.40 for 4 sildenafil pills (VA wholesale cost = $20). In the multivariate analysis, higher income (P = .002) and increasing self-reported need for medication (P = .04) were associated with increased willingness to cost-share for finasteride after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, insured status, comorbid conditions, and type of clinic. In addition, younger age (P = .01) was associated with greater willingness to cost-share for sildenafil. CONCLUSIONS: In this low-income veteran population, patients with a self-reported need for sildenafil and finasteride would be willing to make a higher copayment than the current VA maximum copayment of $2.00 per 30-day prescription, if these medicines were made available.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11310190&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia



finasteride, Propecia
Human prostate tumor growth in athymic mice: inhibition by androgens and stimulation by finasteride.

Umekita Y, Hiipakka RA, Kokontis JM, Liao S.

Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.

When the human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP 104-S, the growth of which is stimulated by physiological levels of androgen, is cultured in androgen-depleted medium for > 100 passages, the cells, now called LNCaP 104-R2, are proliferatively repressed by low concentrations of androgens. LNCaP 104-R2 cells formed tumors in castrated male athymic nude mice. Testosterone propionate (TP) treatment prevented LNCaP 104-R2 tumor growth and caused regression of established tumors in these mice. Such a tumor-suppressive effect was not observed with tumors derived from LNCaP 104-S cells or androgen receptor-negative human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. 5 alpha-Dihydrotestosterone, but not 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone, 17 beta-estradiol, or medroxyprogesterone acetate, also inhibited LNCaP 104-R2 tumor growth. Removal of TP or implantation of finasteride, a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, in nude mice bearing TP implants resulted in the regrowth of LNCaP 104-R2 tumors. Within 1 week after TP implantation, LNCaP 104-R2 tumors exhibited massive necrosis with severe hemorrhage. Three weeks later, these tumors showed fibrosis with infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells and scattered carcinoma cells exhibiting degeneration. TP treatment of mice with LNCaP 104-R2 tumors reduced tumor androgen receptor and c-myc mRNA levels but increased prostate-specific antigen in serum- and prostate-specific antigen mRNA in tumors. Although androgen ablation has been the standard treatment for metastatic prostate cancer for > 50 years, our study shows that androgen supplementation therapy may be beneficial for treatment of certain types of human prostate cancer and that the use of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, such as finasteride or anti-androgens, in the general treatment of metastatic prostate cancer may require careful assessment.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8876218&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia



finasteride, Propecia
Relative potency of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in preventing atrophy and apoptosis in the prostate of the castrated rat.

Wright AS, Thomas LN, Douglas RC, Lazier CB, Rittmaster RS.

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Although dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the principal androgen in the prostate, testosterone can also act as an androgen in this tissue. To determine the relative potencies of testosterone and DHT in preventing prostate regression, castrated rats were implanted for 4 d with varying doses of testosterone in the presence or absence of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride. In the absence of finasteride, testosterone in the prostate is converted to DHT, creating an intraprostatic DHT dose response. In the presence of finasteride, this conversion is blocked, and an intraprostatic testosterone dose response is achieved. DHT was 2.4 times more potent than testosterone at maintaining normal prostate weight and duct lumen mass, a measure of epithelial cell function. The two androgens were equipotent at preventing DNA fragementation and expression of testosterone-repressed prostate message, two measures of apoptosis (cell death). The intraprostatic testosterone concentration that results from finasteride treatment in rats is sufficient to inhibit apoptosis but will not maintain normal epithelial cell activity. In conclusion, whereas DHT is more potent than testosterone at stimulating prostate epithelial cell function as measured by ductal mass, the two androgens are equipotent at preventing prostate cell death after castration. These results explain why finasteride causes prostate involution in the rat with minimal evidence of prostate cell death.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8958218&dopt=Abstract finasteride Propecia