-Robert

Hi Robert -

Thanks for posting this graph on Propecia. There was a thread in the Hair Loss Drugs section that sought information on the long-term effects of Propecia. Here's the thread:http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=5696015661&f=6566060861&m=227108908

Unfortunately, it really didn't generate much discussion and I'm hoping that this thread could be picked up again here.

Regarding the results shown on the chart (which is a little difficult to read):

1. Is there any interpretation for the results shown on the chart?
2. Is the tapering off of the top Propecia line an indication that the drug peaks and then becomes less effective at preventing hairloss over time?

Thanks for the info.

bump, this chart looks useful but i:m having a hard time determining what its showing exactly. Can anyone explain?

thanks

The thick black horizontal line going across the center represents "no change" in total hair count. The goal is to never go below the horizontal line (that means you are losing hair). If you go above the horizontal line, that means you have more hair than when you started (regrowth!)

As for the other lines, Green means the guy was using Propecia. Black lines (besides the horizontal one) means the guy was using a placebo.

Any lines that stay above the middle thick horizontal black line means that the guy had more hair than when he started. Any lines that dip below the middle means the guy had less hair then when he started.

Basically the guys who came out the best, were on Propecia the whole time. They made great gains at first, they slowly tapered off but at the end of five years they still had more hair than what they started with (the Green line)

The guys who did the worst had a placebo (fake drug that they thought was real). Those guys lost, and kept losing hair.

If a guy started out on Propecia (green line), and then took a placebo for a year (black line), his results would take a nose dive. But if he got back on Propecia then he could recover a lot. However not quite as good as the guys who never got off Propecia, based on their end point.

Does it make more sense now?

Yes, seen before but still interesting. Are there already equivalent graphs showing results of Dutasteride vs Finasteride & Dutasteride vs Placebo?
Also, on the above graph, I'm surprised to see the decreasing number of patients being tested as the study progressed. What happened to the others? Did they simply pull out of the study or stop taking the meds?

Hairworthy,

Like any study, as time progresses, life gets in the way and enthusiasm wanes. Keeping up with hundreds of people for months is difficult enough, but keeping them all responding is probably next to impossible.

The trouble in getting data like this about Avodart is that these studies take a LOT of money to conduct and GSK holds the patent on the medication. There would be no financial gain from conducting a study on Avodart so there is no interest.

-Robert