Spironolactone for hirsutism in polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the level of evidence for treatment of hirsutism associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with spironolactone.

DATA SOURCES: Studies and reports were located in MEDLINE (1966-January 2005), EMBASE, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts through the second week of January 2005.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Hirsutism is a common clinical problem and is often associated with PCOS. Research has been performed to assess the efficacy of spironolactone therapy in patients with hirsute characteristics. Five studies that evaluated the effectiveness of spironolactone for hirsutism in PCOS were identified and reviewed.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of multiple treatment options on the subjective and objective measures of hirsutism have displayed varying results. The outcomes reported to date have shown a positive trend toward using spironolactone in women with PCOS and hirsutism.