Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality and by imprecise results (few patients).
A Cochrane review assessed different medical treatments for hirsutism. Flutamide 250 mg b.i.d. was more effective than placebo in reducing Ferriman-Gallwey scores (score 0 to 36) (MD -7.60, 95% CI -10.53 to -4.67 in one and MD -7.20, 95% CI -10.15 to -4.25 in the other study). Spironolactone showed similar effectiveness to flutamide in 2 studies (MD -1.90, 95% CI -5.01 to 1.21 and MD 0.49, 95% CI -1.99 to 2.97). There was no clear difference compared to metformin in 3 studies, but the results were inconsistent.
Date of latest search: 11 June 2014