title: Cetrorelix suppression test to assess the source of androgen overproduction in postmenopausal hirsutism.
abstract: A 75-year-old woman presenting with recent onset hirsutism and severely elevated serum androgen levels was evaluated to assess the source of excessive androgen production. Commonly recommended hormonal stimulation and suppression tests, and the usually employed imaging techniques were non-diagnostic. In this report, we describe a new suppression test based on the use of the GnRH receptor antagonist, cetrorelix, to determine whether androgen production was LH-dependent. Cetrorelix, administered in a daily dose of 250 microg subcutaneously, suppressed serum LH within 24 h and reduced serum androgen levels to normal within 48-72 h, indicating that androgen overproduction was of ovarian origin. This diagnosis was confirmed by laparoscopic ovariectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cetrorelix suppression test is a simple procedure that provides valuable information regarding the source of androgen excess in postmenopausal hirsutism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands. hdeboer@alysis.nl
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Man
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Bruyn
authors.forename: Adriaan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Sorge
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D006728:Hormones; D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; C062876:cetrorelix