title: Defining hirsutism in Chinese women: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the normative cut-off score that defines hirsutism among Chinese women, and the effect of age, menstrual irregularities, and polycystic ovaries on the same.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multistage systematic cluster random sampling among 16 communities from two rural and two city regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample of 2,988 women aged 20-45 years from the general population of Southern China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects underwent physical and ultrasound evaluations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Terminal hair growth was assessed using the modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) scoring system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An mFG score ≥5 was observed in 10% and a score of ≥2 in 25% of the subjects. Cluster analysis identified an mFG score of 5 as the cut-off value that defines abnormal terminal facial and body hair growth in a male pattern (i.e., hirsutism) in the total population; scores of 6, 5, and 4 for women aged 20-25, 26-30, and >30 years, respectively. Defined by these cut-off values, the prevalence of hirsutism in our total population was 10.5%; and decreased with increasing age: 14.4%, 10.7%, 7.9%, 3.6%, and 1.5%, respectively, in women aged 20-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, and 41-45 years. Furthermore, the incidence of acne, menses irregularities, polycystic ovaries, and acanthosis nigricans were significantly increased among the hirsute women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An mFG score of 5 or greater indicates hair growth above the norm among women in the general Southern Chinese population, a cut-off value that decreases with increasing age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaomiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Renmin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yaqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Meifeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azziz
authors.forename: Dongzi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000254:growth & development; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult