Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and other possible influencing factors that modulate sex hormone-binding globulin levels in the hirsute patient.
This study was designed to investigate the most important factors affecting serum concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in women with hirsutism. We compared endocrine profiles based on biochemical measurements of LH, FSH, oestradiol, testosterone (T), prolactin, 17-hydroxy-progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), SHBG, cortisol and insulin in the follicular phase in 32 healthy women and 52 patients. The study group was subdivided according to SHBG levels into Group A (low level) and Group B (high level). Significant differences between Groups A and B were found in DHEAS and T levels, but not in body mass index or insulinaemia. There was a relationship between DHEAS and SHBG levels (r = 0.51) and between T and SHBG (r = 0.31). We conclude that DHEAS may be a significant modulator of SHBG in the female hirsute patient, an observation seldom mentioned in previous reports.
Vidal-Puig
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Granada Hospital, Spain.
Muñoz-Torres
M
M
Escobar-Jiménez
F
F
Ruiz Requena
M E
ME
Garcia-Calvente
C
C
Torres-Vela
E
E
D000328:Adult; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate