The best correlation of the new index of hyperandrogenism with the grade of increased body hair

Objective: Hyperandrogenemia is the most frequent endocrine disorder in fer tile women causing a variety of negative metabolic disturbances. Establishi ng the diagnosis of androgen overproduction has important implications for the follow-up and treatment of patients. The aim of our study was to identi fy the optimal laboratory marker of androgen production by correlating the markers to the presence or grade of increased body hair as a clinical sign of hyperandrogenism. Design: Prospective observational study. Methods: A total of 62 women with acne were included into the study. The se rum concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were evaluated. The index of free testosterone (IFT) and a new index of hyperand rogenism (IHA) were calculated. The monitored laboratory markers were corre lated to the presence or grade of increased body hair using several statist ical methods. Results: The statistical significance of differences between the average le vels of laboratory markers between hirsute and non-hirsute women decreased in the following order: IHA, androstenedione and DHEA. Of all the above lab oratory markers, only increased IHA was present significantly more often in hirsute women. The significance of correlation between the grade of increa sed body hair and the tested variables decreased in the following order: IH A, IFT, DHEA, androstenedione, DHEAS and testosterone. Conclusions: The clinical marker of hyperandrogenism correlates most closel y to IHA, reflecting the levels of all commonly determined androgens or and rogen precursors and SHBG, Its simple calculation makes IHA a suitable tool for determining total production of androgens in clinical practice, especi ally in cases with borderline elevations of values.