Prevalence of hyperandrogenemia among nonhirsute oligo-ovulatory women.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that oligo-ovulatory ovulation is associated with hyperandrogenemia in the absence of other clinical signs of androgen excess.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort controlled.


METHODS
Tertiary care university-based outpatient clinic.


METHODS
Thirty-two consecutive nonhirsute oligo-ovulatory women and 37 healthy eumenorrheic controls.


METHODS
All study subjects underwent a physical exam and blood sampling in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.


METHODS
Serum was assayed for total T, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione (A), and DS, and the free T level was calculated.


RESULTS
Mean free T was higher and SHBG was lower in oligo-ovulatory patients compared with controls. The oligo-ovulatory patients were subdivided according to severity of menstrual abnormalities into those with cycles < 45 days (n = 19, oligo-ovulatory-short) and > or = 45 days (n = 13, oligo-ovulatory-long). Oligo-ovulatory-long and -short patients had similar mean DS, A, and total T levels; but mean free T was higher and SHBG was lower in oligo-ovulatory-long patients compared with either oligo-ovulatory-short women or controls. Five of 13 (38%) oligo-ovulatory-long patients had at least one abnormal androgen value compared with 1 of 19 (5%) oligo-ovulatory-short patients, which was a significant difference.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 40% of nonhirsute oligo-ovulatory women with cycle intervals > or = 45 days demonstrate at least one abnormally elevated androgen level, suggesting that they may have a discrete form of the polycystic ovary syndrome. Furthermore, this data brings into question the sensitivity of hirsutism as a marker for hyperandrogenemia.
Allen
S E
SE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
Potter
H D
HD
Azziz
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000858:Anovulation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D006628:Hirsutism; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010060:Ovulation; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione