Investigation of hirsutism: testosterone is not enough.
In a consecutive series of 41 hirsute women clinically classified as benign androgen excess, only 34% were found to have elevated plasma 'total' testosterone (T), 22% having subnormal sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). When expressed as the ratio T/SHBG ('free androgen index'), 85% of the patients had values above the normal range. It is concluded that this index is more reliable than total testosterone in assessing androgen status in female patients.
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011485:Protein Binding; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone