Reduced serum vitamin B12 levels during oral cyproterone-acetate and ethinyl-oestradiol therapy in women with diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In a group healthy, non-vegetarian females currently being treated for diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia with 50 or 100 mg of oral cyproterone acetate for 11 days and 30 or 40 .mu.g of ethinyl oestradiol for 20 days of the menstrual cycle, significant decreases in mean serum vitamin B12 (P < 0.0001), haemoglobin (P < 0.003) and haematocrit (P < 0.004) values, were observed after 6 months. Serum folic acid, red-cell foliate and mean cell volume remained unchanged within the normal range during this time. All patients responded to oral cyanocobalamin, or intramuscular injections of hydroxocobalamin. In patients with baseline serum vitamin B12 levels below 350 ng/l, we would suggest prophylactic cyanocobalamin concurrent with cyproterone-acetate-ethinyl-oestradiol (CPA EE2) therapy. Studies involving other dose regimens of CPA EE2 (DianetteTM) or cyproterone acetate alone (AndrocurTM, CyprostatTM), may require evaluation of the vitamin B12 status if treatment is to be given for periods of longer than 3 months.