Changes in the distribution of testosterone and estradiol serum fractions in hirsute women after administration of L-thyroxine.
The effect of 1-thyroxine treatment on the distribution of testosterone and estradiol serum fractions was studied in 10 normal weight hirsute women with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years. Six of the patients had menstrual irregularities. Treatment consisted in one month of thyroxine (1-T4) at a dose of 2 micrograms/Kg body weight. Serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was measured by saturation analysis and serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), androstenedione (delta 4-A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS), LH, FSH, PRL, T4, T3, by RIA. Serum T and E2 fractions were calculated by an equation derived from the law of mass action. Before and after T4 treatment serum SHBG was, respectively, (X +/- ES) 30.3 +/- 3.8 and 45.4 +/- 4.6 nmol/l (p less than 0.001), non-SHBG-bound T 25.7 +/- 8.1 and 18.8 +/- 6 ng/dl (p less than 0.001), free T 1.09 +/- 0.2 and 0.8 +/- 0.5 ng/dl (p less than 0.01), non-SHBG-bound E2 40.9 +/- 13.7 and 19.2 +/- 2.4 pg/ml (p less than 0.001). No significant changes were observed in total T and E2 or free E2. Serum DHAS and delta 4-A decreased significantly after treatment from 3977 +/- 601 to 3480 +/- 250 ng/dl and from 4.7 +/- 0.61 to 3.34 +/- 0.34 ng/ml respectively (p less than 0.001). Serum basal levels of FSH, LH, PRL, T4, T3 and TSH were normal. A significant increase of serum T4 was observed after treatment from 8.4 +/- 0.4 to 11.7 +/- 1.1 ng/dl (p less than 0.01). However, the post-treatment value was within the limits of the normal range.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Belgorosky
A
A
Kaplan
J
J
Cardoso
E
E
Hoschoian
J C
JC
Rivarola
M A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D013974:Thyroxine