PURPOSE: Finasteride is an inhibitor of human 5alpha-reductase, which results in a decrease in plasma and intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone(DHT) level. We investigated the changes of prostate volume(PV), transitional zone volume(TV), and PSA during and after administration of finasteride. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1995, 32 BPH patients treated with finasteride underwent surveillance after cessation of finasteride. Surveillance included measurements of PV, TV and PSA every 3 to 6 months. The mean age of the patients was 66.7 years(57-73). The mean duration of treatment and cessation were 8.6 months(6-12) and 8.0 months(6-12), respectively. The changes in PV, TV, and PSA were compared. RESULTS: The mean initial PV, TV, PSA were 45.7cc, 22.5cc, 2.72ng/ml, respectively. After treatment, PV, TV, PSA were reduced to 72.7%, 67.1%, 64.7% and 68.0%, 61.4%, 57.3% and 59.4%, 55.0%, 52.5% of the original values at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. The reduction rate was maximum after the first 3 months(p=0.001). After discontinuing finasteride, PV, TV, PSA recovered to 71.0%, 71.2% 63.9% and 84.0%, 82.3%, 67.6% and 90.4%, 85.1%, 74.1% at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. The recovery rates of PV and TV after 3 and 6 months were equal. However, recovery rate of PSA was maximum at 3 months and after then, constant until 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: During first 3 months` treatment, the decreasing rates of PV, TV and PSA were very considerable, after then, reduced. After cessation of medication the recovery rates of PV, TV were constant during first 6 months but PSA was maximum at first 3 months. The changes in clinical parameters during administration were fully recovered but it took slightly longer periods after cessation compared to those during of treatment. PSA is probably a predictor in the assessment of volume changes.
Finasteride* ; Humans ; Plasma ; Prostate*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Finasteride* ; Rats* ; Spermatogenesis*

No abstract available.
Alopecia* ; Dutasteride* ; Finasteride*

No abstract available.
Finasteride* ; Risk Factors ; Venous Thrombosis*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Castration* ; Finasteride* ; Prostate* ; Rats*

Oral finasteride(Propecia(R)), 1mg/day, has been widely used as an effective treatment for male androgenetic alopecia since it had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) of U.S. in December 1997. Gynecomastia has been one of the most common adverse effects in the patients who were taking 5mg of oral finasteride(Proscar(R)). Recently, several cases of unilateral or bilateral finasteride induced gynecomastia have also been reported in 1mg of oral finasteride(Propecia(r)). We report two cases of finasteride(Propecia(R)) induced painful bilateral gynecomastia, which are the first published documentations in Korea.
Alopecia ; Documentation ; Finasteride ; Gynecomastia* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male

No abstract available.
Female ; Finasteride ; Hair ; Humans ; Pilot Projects

PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest that the symptomatic improvement in benign prostatic hyperplasia significantly related with transition zone volume (TZV). The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of TZV and transition zone index (TZI) in changes of prostate volume (PV) and clinical parameters following finasteride therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 140 patients over 50 years of age with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia were treated with finasteride (5mg/d) for 12 months and underwent transrectal ultrasound evaluation of PV and TZV prior to initiating therapy and after 12 months. Patients were grouped according to the results of PV (> OR =40ml or <40ml), TZI (> OR =0.45 or <0.45) and PSA level (> OR =2.5 or <2.5). The responders was determined as improvement in peak flow rate more than 3mL/sec. RESULTS: PV decreased by 14.11% in patients with TZI less than 0.45, while the decrease was 19.25% for men with TZI greater than 0.45 (p<0.01). In addition, PV was significantly decreased by 16.72% in patients with PV less than 40cc and TZI greater than 0.45 (p<0.01). PV decreased by 17.37% in patients with PSA less than 2.5, while the decrease was 18.92% in men with PSA greater than 2.5. In responders, only TZI was significantly different among PSA, PV and TZI (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment effect of finasteride on symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia patients was increased in proportion to enlarged PV, increased TZI, increased PSA. TZI was a useful proxy for predicting clinical outcomes in initiating finasteride therapy on benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Finasteride* ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Proxy ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Finasteride is being used as a medical therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but there are no appropriate selection criteria for finasteride therapy. Our objective was to determine the usefulness of finasteride according to histological nature of the BPH, as determined by the transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with symptomatic BPH were treated with finasteride (5mg/day) for more than 6 months. The patients were categorized into two groups of 21, according to their TRUS findings: the stromal, and the glandular, component dominant groups. The changes in prostate volume (PV), transition zone volume (TZV) and transition zone index (TZI) of each group, following at least 6 months of finasteride treatment, were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: In the stromal group the PV, TZV and TZI decreased from 69.3 11.5cc to 65.6 9.3cc, 43.5 13.2cc to 40.8 8.8cc and 0.63 to 0.62, respectively, but these changes were not statistically significant. While, in the glandular group, the PV, TZV and TZI decreased from 67.4+/-26.7cc to 56.2+/-25.2cc, 43.9+/-24.9cc to 32.4+/-19.9cc, and 0.63 to 0.54 (P<0.05), respectively. There was a linear correlation, only in the glandular group, between the TZI and TZV reductions following finasteride therapy (R=0.47, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest the prediction of the histological nature of BPH, by TRUS, would be helpful prior to the initiation finasteride treatment for effective reduction in the prostate volume with BPH. The effective reduction in the volume of the prostate in BPH would be possible only in glandular component dominant patients, as discriminated by TRUS.
Finasteride* ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Ultrasonography*

Low dose finasteride(1mg/d, Propecia(R)) has been widely used as an effective treatment for male androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride is an inhibitor of 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme responsible for testosterone metabolism to dihydrotestosteron(DHT). We report a case of painful, unilateral idiopathic gynecomastia aggravated by low dose finasteride for male androgenetic alpopecia. A 23-year-old man started treatment with Propecia(R), 1 mg per day. Two months later he presented with a painful enlargement of his right breast. Treatment was stopped and two months later the clinical manifestration had disappeared.
Alopecia ; Breast ; Finasteride* ; Gynecomastia* ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolism ; Testosterone ; Young Adult