Management of hyperandrogenism in adolescent girls.
Hyperandrogenism in adolescent girls can be a troubling problem because of the difficulty in establishing a diagnosis and in prescribing appropriate therapy. Androgen excess in adolescent patients encompasses a spectrum of clinical presentations, including acne, hirsutism, oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, virilism, and ovarian cysts. Androgen excess is a clinical and chemical feature of idiopathic hirsutism, late-onset forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and polycystic ovarian disease; in some cases, functional hyperandrogenism is discussed. We recommend screening for hyperandrogenism by measuring blood levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and delta 4-androstenedione, while others propose a first dexamethasone suppression test for evaluation of free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cortisol. Treatment will be chosen according to particular symptoms such as acne, hirsutism, obesity, or oligomenorrhea.
Sultan
C
C
Service de Pédiatrie I, Hôpital St-Charles, Montpellier, France.
Medlej
R
R
Chevalier
C
C
Lobaccaro
J M
JM
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
D000728:Androgens