Modified Ferriman-Gallwey hirsutism score and androgen levels in Turkish women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) scoring system and serum total testosterone (tT) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in control subjects.


METHODS
Women with any gynecological problem who presented to the Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University Medical Faculty Gynecology and Obstetric Outpatient Clinic in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were assessed prospectively. Oligo-anovulation, clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism, and PCO appearance on ultrasound that met the 2003 Rotterdam Consensus Criteria were used for PCOS diagnosis. Group 1 consisted of 43 cases with a diagnosis of PCOS and group 2 (control group) consisted of 75 age and BMI matched control subjects without PCOS.


RESULTS
In groups 1 and 2, clinical hyperandrogenism (hirsutism) appearance ratio was 86.0% (37/43) and 18.0% (15/75) (p < 0.001); while biochemical hyperandrogenism (high serum tT or DHEAS level) was 65.1% (28/43) and 36% (27/75) (p < 0.05), respectively. In groups 1 and 2, mean serum tT levels were 115.2 and 73.4 ng/dL (p < 0.001), mean serum DHEAS levels were 256.1 and 177.7 ng/dL (p < 0.001), and mean hirsutism scores were 11.2 and 5.5 (p < 0.001), respectively. Serum mean tT, DHEAS and hirsutism scores for group 1 were significantly higher than those of group 2 (<0.001). No correlation was observed between BMI and the hirsutism scores or the biochemical hyperandrogenism in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study, mean serum androgen levels and hirsutism ratio in the PCOS group were higher than the control group. These values were also substantially higher than those previously published in the literature.
Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. acoskun@ksu.edu.tr
Ayhan
A
Coskun
Onder
O
Ercan
Deniz Cemgil
DC
Arikan
Ali
A
Özer
Metin
M
Kilinc
Gurkan
G
Kiran
Bulent
B
Kostu
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000175:diagnosis; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014421:Turkey
D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate