title: Steroid responses to ACTH in women with polycystic ovaries.
abstract: Sixty-three women with ultrasonically detected polycystic ovaries (PCO) were investigated for a disorder of adrenal steroid biosynthesis. Serum was obtained before, and at 30 and 60 min after, the administration of 250 micrograms tetracosactrin, and assayed for 17 alpha-OH-progesterone, 21-deoxycortisol, 17 alpha-OH-pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone by radioimmunoassay following paper chromatography. Results were compared with those in 11 women with normal ovaries, seven adult females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD), and 15 women heterozygous for this defect. Although the basal-peak steroid concentration differences were significantly greater when ACTH tests were conducted between 1400 and 1700 h than between 0900 and 1000 h, absolute peak steroid concentrations were not different at either time of day. Four of 63 (6.4%) women with PCO had responses to ACTH characteristic of non-classical (late onset) 21OHD CAH, and about half the remainder had responses characteristic of 21OHD heterozygotes. There was no clear cut evidence for a deficiency in 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in women with PCO.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Unit, Middlesex Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hague
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Honour
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vecsei
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D000312:Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000097:blood; D003366:Cosyntropin; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D013256:Steroids; D003366:Cosyntropin; D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; C003556:21-deoxycortisol; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D003350:Cortodoxone