Eflornithine Cream versus Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills Use in The Treatment of Hirsutism in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trail-Ismailia-Egypt

Background: Hirsutism is a common distressing manifestation of hyperandrogenism, particularly in females with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Both topical eflornithine cream and combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are used in its management, but direct comparative studies are limited. Aim: This study aimed to investigate and assess the effectiveness of eflornithine cream, versus the effectiveness of COC in treating of Hirsutism in PCOS cases. Patients and methods: This research was a randomized controlled clinical study with simple random sampling conducted at the outpatient gynecological clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital-Ismailia-Egypt, on 220 cases of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO) complaining of hirsutism. Cases were divided into 2 equal groups: The 1^st group (110) received eflornithine cream topically. The 2^nd group (110) received combined oral contraceptive pills. Results: Both treatments produced highly significant reductions in MFGS after 6 months (p < 0.001). A statistically insignificant variance was found between the two groups at the end of treatment. However, recurrence of hirsutism was significantly lower in the eflornithine group 2 months after stopping treatment (p<0.001). Hair became thinner and grew more slowly in both groups. Conclusion: Both topical eflornithine cream and COCs are effective and safe in treating hirsutism in PCOS patients. Eflornithine may offer a slight advantage in reducing recurrence after treatment discontinuation. ？