Long-term remission of ovarian hyperandrogenism after short-term treatmentwith a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist

Objective: To assess the long-term effects of GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) therapy in a patient with benign ovarian hyperandrogenism. Design: Case report. Setting: University Hospital endocrine outpatient's clinic. Patient(s): A 55-year-old postmenopausal woman with hirsutism and virilizat ion of ovarian origin. Intervention(s): Treatment with a course of GnRH-a (triptorelin 3.75 mg IM every 28 days for 4 months). Follow-up for 3 years. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum gonadotropin and androgen levels, clinical a ssessment using the Ferriman-Gallwey score, and assessment of ovarian morph ology by ultrasonography. Result(s): Administration of triptorelin resulted in suppression of serum t estosterone and gonadotropin values and relief of the hyperandrogenic sympt oms. Upon discontinuation of treatment, the patient's serum gonadotropin le vels returned to the postmenopausal range, but the testosterone levels rema ined normal and the patient was asymptomatic for an observation period of 3 years. Conclusion(s): This case is the first example of long-term remission of ova rian hyperandrogenism in a postmenopausal woman, after short-term treatment with GnRH-a. This supports the view that GnRH-a therapy could be used, eve n in shea courses, for the long-term suppression of benign ovarian hyperand rogenism. (C) 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.