Finasteride and dutasteride are commonly used 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. While finasteride is a selective inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase Type II, dutasteride inhibits 5- alpha reductase Type I and II. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved the use of finasteride for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) as well as androgenic alopecia (AGA) while dutasteride is approved only for BPH. Off-label use of dutasteride is not uncommon in AGA as well. Although the postfinasteride syndrome (PFS) is a well-established entity, its symptomatology is quite variable. Here, we describe a case of an atypical PFS in a patient treated with dutasteride and finasteride for AGA. The multisystem involvement and irreversible nature of this case warrant its reporting.
Keywords: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors; dutasteride; finasteride; postfinasteride syndrome.