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ADRENAL STEROIDOGENESIS IN HIRSUTE WOMEN
Author(s) -
CHILD D. F.,
BU'LOCK D. E.,
ANDERSON D. C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1980.tb01381.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , pregnenolone , androstenediol , dehydroepiandrosterone , androstenedione , dexamethasone , stimulation , population , testosterone (patch) , hirsutism , androgen , steroid , chemistry , hormone , insulin , polycystic ovary , insulin resistance , environmental health
SUMMARY Adrenal steroidogenesis has been studied in vivo in ten hirsute and ten normal women. Serum levels of nine steroids on the biosynthetic pathway: the Δ 5 3 β‐hydroxysteroids, pregnenolone (Pe), 17α‐hydroxypregnenolone (17 Pe), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenediol (Adiol), and their Δ 4 3 keto counterparts, progesterone (Po), 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone (17 Po), androstenedione (Adione), and testosterone (T), as well as cortisol, were measured following ACTH stimulation from a dexamethasone‐suppressed state. The results are complicated by the finding of marked heterogeneity in the adrenal steroid response between different subjects in the normal population. One of the ten normal women had a much greater increment of Po and 17Po than the others following ACTH stimulation, suggesting that she has reduced 21‐hydroxylase activity. A similar heterogeneity was also seen in the hirsute women, three of the ten having an exaggerated 17Po response to ACTH. Two of the same hirsute women also had greater Adione responses than normal. Adrenal steroidogenesis was normal in most of the hirsute women, while a subtle adrenal variant, possibly of 21‐hydroxylase, has been demonstrated in a minority as in normal individuals; we do not yet know whether this is of aetiological importance. Our data do not support previous suggestions that adrenal 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity is reduced in hirsute women.