title: Evaluation of insulin resistance in idiopathic hirsutism compared with polycystic ovary syndrome patients and healthy individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hirsutism is defined as the excessive male-pattern growth of hair in women. Hirsutism is often idiopathic or the consequence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Insulin resistance is common in PCOS (especially in obese patients) but the association between insulin resistance and idiopathic hirsutism (IH) is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of insulin resistance in IH, compared with healthy individuals and patients with PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included three groups, patients with idiopathic hirsutism, PCOS and healthy women. Each group included 30 non-obese women. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin level and insulin resistance (estimated by the homeostasis model assessment [HOMA-IRIR]) were compared in the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference between the age of the women with IH compared with two other groups. There were no significant difference in levels of serum insulin (P = 0.49, HOMA-IR (P = 0.47) and prevalence of insulin resistance (P = 0.07) in the three groups. The age-adjusted prevalence of insulin resistance was similar in the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Insulin resistance was no more frequent in IH patients than in healthy control groups.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Research Centre, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Shokoufeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonakdaran
authors.affiliation: Skin Ward, Emam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kiafar
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Research Centre, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barazandeh Ahmadabadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin
keywords: PCOS; hirsutism; insulin resistance