L. Falsetti et al., SERUM LEVELS OF 3-ALPHA-ANDROSTANEDIOL GLUCURONIDE IN HIRSUTE AND NONHIRSUTE WOMEN, European journal of endocrinology, 138(4), 1998, pp. 421-424
This study has evaluated the behaviour of 3 alpha-androstanediol glucu
ronide (3 alpha-diol G) in 170 women of whom 85 had polycystic ovary s
yndrome (PCOS), 35 had idiopathic hirsutism (IH) and 50 had regular cy
cles (control group). Of the women with PCOS. 45 were hirsute (PCOS-H)
and 40 were non hirsute (PCOS-NH). Women in the control group were no
t hirsute. Hirsutism was assessed by the same physician using the Ferr
iman-Gallway score. The body mass index (BMI) was estimated in all of
the women. Plasma concentrations of 3 alpha-diol G were elevated only
in hirsute patients, both with PCOS and with IH. Even in PCOS-NH, conc
entrations of 3 alpha-diol G were higher compared with controls (P < 0
.001), but significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those of the PCOS-H an
d of the IH groups. The behaviour of 3 alpha-diol G was not affected b
y BMI.