The response of several adrenocortical steroids to the administration of ACTH in hirsute women.
Thirty-three women with hirsutism and oligomenorrhea were stimulated with synthetic adrenocorticotropin, as well as 12 controls. Of these test subjects 20 demonstrated significantly greater rises of serum levels of 3,17-dihydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one as well as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate suggesting an attenuated deficiency of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Five did not show similar rises of these compounds but revealed significant elevations of 17-hydroxyprogesterone as would be expected in 21-hydroxylase deficiency. None of the subjects were virilized. Eight additional hirsute women were not different than the normals. It appears that a subtle deficiency of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase may be more common as an explanation of a syndrome resembling polycystic ovarian disease than has been previously recognized.
D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000172:deficiency; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000328:Adult; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000097:blood
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D006854:Hydrocortisone