Effect of Finasteride on Male Pattern Baldness in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Kim, Geun Soo; Park, Yang Il; Kim, Seong Jin

Abstract

PURPOSE: Finasteride, an inhibitor of 5alpha-reductase, is used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male pattern baldness, by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). We attempted to determine whether finasteride treatment led to a clinical improvement in BPH patients with male pattern baldness.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a one year, single blind, prospective study, conducted on BPH patients. Eighty two men participated in the study, and received either 5mg finasteride plus 0.2mg tamsulosin (group I, n=43) or 0.2mg tamsulosin alone (group II, n=39). The efficacies were evaluated, bimonthly, by baldness grade, international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and peak flow rate (PFR), for 12 months. The estimation of baldness grade was based on the modified Norwood's classification (from grades I to VII). Patients with grade IV or higher were categorized as having moderate to severe male pattern baldness. The numbers of moderate to severe male pattern baldness were 11 and 16 in groups I and II, respectively.
RESULTS
At the baseline, there were no significant differences in the baldness grade, age and prostatic volume between the two groups. Group I exhibited a gradual and continuous improvement in the baldness grade at 10 and 12 months compared to baseline (p<0.05), while group II displayed no significant change in the baldness grade. Thirteen patients (30.2%) of group I manifested improvements in their baldness grade, whereas none of group II demonstrated an improvement. In group I, of the eleven patients with moderate to severe male pattern baldness, seven (63.6%) showed an improvement in their baldness grade, whereas of the thirty two mild grade patients, six (18.7%) showed an improvement. The improvement in baldness grade from the baseline to 10 and 12 months were statistically significant, but from the baseline to 8 months was insignificant.
CONCLUSIONS
The combined treatment of 5mg finasteride and 0.2mg tamsulosin, for BPH patients, resulted in an improvement in male pattern baldness.