PROLONGED REMISSION OF FEMALE HYPERANDROG ENISM AFTER DISCONTINUING GLUCOCORTICOID THERAPY

Andrenal androgen hypersecretion either produced by genetic defects or reticular disfunction, is reduced by exogenous glucocorticoid adminis tration and as with any suppression therapy it should relapse when the therapy is discontinued. However, prolonged remissions of adrenal and rogen hypersecretion after discontinuing glucocorticoids have been des cribed. We report 15 patients with adrenal hyperandrogenism and elevat ed levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate that received treatment wi th dexamethasone. After one month of treatment with dexamethasone 0.5 mg/day, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels returned to normal and r emained so during a mean of 19 months receiving dexamethasone 0.25 mg/ day. One year after discontinuing therapy hormone levels continued wit hin normal range in all patients. It is concluded that a long remissio n period of andrenal hyperandrogenism was achieved after discontinuing glucocorticoid therapy.