Correlation of Clinical and Biochemical Hyperandrogenism in Thai Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

February 2016 in “ Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research ”

Pichai Leerasiri, Thanyarat Wongwananuruk, Suchada Indhavivadhana, Kitirat Techatraisak, Manee Rattanachaiyanont, Surasak Angsuwathana

hirsutism acne androgenic alopecia free testosterone total testosterone polycystic ovary syndrome hyperandrogenism Ferriman-Gallwey score serum-FT levels hyperandrogenemia PCOS FT TT

TLDR Blood tests are needed to confirm high male hormone levels in women with PCOS, as physical signs alone are not reliable.

The study investigated the relationship between clinical signs of excess male hormones (such as hirsutism, acne, and androgenic alopecia) and actual hormone levels in the blood in 145 Thai women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It found that while clinical signs like hirsutism and acne did correlate with higher levels of free testosterone (FT) and total testosterone (TT), these clinical signs were not reliable indicators of elevated androgen levels in the blood. Specifically, the modified Ferriman-Gallwey score, used to assess hirsutism, had high specificity but low sensitivity for detecting high androgen levels, meaning it could miss cases of biochemical hyperandrogenism. Acne was the most common symptom, present in 56.6% of participants, and 84.8% had high serum-FT levels. The study concluded that blood tests are necessary to confirm hyperandrogenemia in women with PCOS, regardless of the presence or absence of clinical symptoms.

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