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Hair Loss News Archives
July 2002
Finasteride Cuts Risk of Further Visible Hair Loss in Men
PARIS, FRANCE -- July 1, 2002 -
In men with
androgenetic alopecia, treatment with finasteride 1 mg/d for five years leads to
a marked and sustained reduction in the risk of developing further visible hair
loss.
The findings were reported here at the 20 th World Congress of Dermatology (WCD).
In two replicate, double-blind studies, men aged 18
to 41 years with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) received finasteride 1 mg or
placebo for up to five years. Global photographic assessment of scalp hair
growth by an expert panel showed the superiority of finasteride over placebo.
In a post-hoc analysis, Dr. Keith Kaufman, of Merck
Research Laboratories in Rahway, New Jersey, United States, and colleagues
examined the effect of finasteride on the five-year risk of developing further
hair loss based on these GPA data.
The analysis included 713 patients who received
finasteride 1 mg/day (645 patients) or placebo (68 patients) continuously from
randomisation to study completion or discontinuation. All patients underwent
global photographic assessments during the five-year study period.
Finasteride treatment led to a 93 percent reduction
in the risk of developing further visible hair loss from baseline to end point,
relative to placebo. Development of further visible hair loss was observed in
the majority of placebo-treated patients by year 3.
The highest rates of further visible hair loss for
placebo patients occurred in men of younger age, earlier onset of hair loss,
longer duration of hair loss, more severe hair loss pattern, and/or parental
history of hair loss.
"These findings suggest that there are
differences among men with [androgenetic alopecia] with respect to
susceptibility of scalp hair follicles to continued follicular
miniaturization," Dr. Kaufman said.
Regardless of the subgroup examined, treatment with
finasteride reduced the risk of further visible hair loss relative to placebo,
confirming the key role of dihydrotestosterone produced by type II 5 alpha-reductase
in mediating hair loss in men with androgenetic alopecia, he added.
The study was supported by Merck Research
Laboratories.