Chronic high-dosage androgen administration to ovulatory women does not alter adrenocortical steroidogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of chronic long-term exogenous androgen administration to normal ovulatory women on adrenal steroidogenesis.


METHODS
Prospective study of four consecutive female-to-male transsexuals before and during chronic testosterone (T) therapy.


METHODS
Clinical Research Center of the Mount Sinai Medical Center.


METHODS
Four female-to-male transsexuals were studied before and during 6 to 12 months of chronic T enanthate therapy for desired virilization. All four subjects were ovulatory before treatment. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) testing was performed before, and 6 and 12 months of androgen therapy and various adrenal androgens as well as precursor:product pairs were evaluated as an index of specific adrenocortical biosynthetic defects.


RESULTS
Baseline and 1 hour after 0.25 mg ACTH intravenously, adrenal androgen levels as well as adrenal precursor/product pairs demonstrated no difference before and during chronic T treatment. Studies included determinations of plasma 17-hydroxypregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, 11-deoxycortisol, and cortisol.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that chronic hypertestosteronemia does not alter adrenal steroidogenesis.
Futterweit
W
W
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York.
Green
G
G
Tarlin
N
N
Dunaif
A
A
D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014189:Transsexualism
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000728:Androgens; D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003350:Cortodoxone; D006854:Hydrocortisone