Plasma levels of C-19 steroids and 5α-reduced steroid glucuronides in hyperandrogenic and idiopathic hirsute women

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 948 - 953
• Main Authors: Brochu, Michèle, Bélanger, Alain, Tremblay, Roland R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.1987; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Androgens - blood; Androstenedione - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Dehydroepiandrosterone - analogs & derivatives; Dehydroepiandrosterone - blood; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; Dermatology; Female; Glucuronates - blood; Hair and nails disorders; Hirsutism - blood; Humans; Medical sciences; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - analysis; Testosterone - blood; Endocrinopathy; Human; Androstanediol; Skin disease; Glucuronidation; Androgen; Androstanediol-3β; Gynecology; Etiopathogenesis; Hirsutism; Idiopathic; Androsterone; Testosterone; Dihydrotestosterone; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; Hyperandrogenism; Hormonal investigation; Androstenedione; Sex steroid hormone; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)59589-2

In the present study, the authors measured the plasma levels of unconjugated and glucuronide (G) derivatives of C-19 steroids in hirsute women divided into two groups, depending upon their dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). This quite restrictive classification was the result of an arbitraty decision of the authors, who wanted to focus interpretation of their data on DHEAS, the well-known adrenal androgen. In the hyperandrogenic hirsute woman (HH), the DHEAS levels were higher than 3.0μg/ml; in idiopathic hirsute women (IH), values of DHEAS were comparable to those observed in normal women (1.2 to 2.5μg/ml). In the HH group, the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, androst-5-ene-3β,17 β-diol (Δ5-diol), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstane-3α,17β-diol (3α-diol), androstane-3β,17β-diol (3β-diol), androsterone (ADT), DHTG, 3α-diol-G, 3β-diol-G, and ADTG were higher than the normal range whereas, in the IH group, only Δ5-diol, DHT, 3β-diol-G and ADTG were elevated. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that the plasma levels of steroid G represent the peripheral formation of androgen in target tissues. Because the pattern of androgen metabolism is most probably changed in many cases of hirsutism, these data suggest that for research purposes, it would be preferable to measure 3β-diol-G and ADTG in addition to 3α-diol-G in order to gain additional information concerning androgen metabolites in this disorder.