Defining Hirsutism in Chinese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

July 2011 in “ Fertility and Sterility ”

Xiaomiao Zhao, Renmin Ni, Li Lin, Yujun Mo, Jia Huang, Mei-Feng Huang, Ricardo Azziz, Dongzi Yang

hirsutism Ferriman-Gallwey score acne menstrual irregularities polycystic ovaries acanthosis nigricans body mass index mFG score PCOS BMI

Studysummary This study determined that an mFG score of 5 or greater defines hirsutism among Southern Chinese women, with prevalence and score thresholds decreasing with age.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

In a cross-sectional study of 2,988 Chinese women aged 20-45, a modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score of ≥5 was determined to be the cut-off for hirsutism, present in 10% of participants. This threshold was associated with higher incidences of acne, menstrual irregularities, polycystic ovaries, and acanthosis nigricans. The prevalence of hirsutism decreased with age, and a higher body mass index was correlated with increased mFG scores. The study's large sample size and use of cluster analysis to determine the cut-off score strengthened its findings, suggesting that an mFG score of 5 or greater indicates above-normal hair growth in Southern Chinese women.

View this study on doi.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

9 / 9 results

research Determining the Normal Cut-Off Levels for Hyperandrogenemia in Chinese Women of Reproductive Age

16 citations , December 2010 in “European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology”

This study determined that the upper normal cut-off levels for free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and total testosterone among reproductive-age women in China are 26 pmol/L, 4.92 μmol/L, and 2.39 nmol/L, respectively.

research Association of Biochemical Hyperandrogenism with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity in Chinese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

52 citations , November 2009 in “International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics”

This study found that hyperandrogenemia in Chinese women with PCOS is associated with higher risks of type 2 diabetes and obesity, suggesting it should be prioritized in managing PCOS-related infertility.

research Visually Scoring Hirsutism

288 citations , June 2009 in “Human reproduction update”

This review examines various methods for assessing hair growth in women, highlighting the usefulness of the mFG visual scoring method for diagnosing hirsutism despite its limitations.

Criteria for Defining Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as a Predominantly Hyperandrogenic Syndrome: An Androgen Excess Society Guideline

research Criteria for Defining Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as a Predominantly Hyperandrogenic Syndrome: An Androgen Excess Society Guideline

1744 citations , August 2006 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism”

This review discusses definitions of polycystic ovary syndrome and reports no new clinical results; the authors support using modified 1990 NIH criteria and acknowledge ongoing evolution as research advances.

research Androgen Excess Is the Key Element in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

99 citations , August 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility”

This paper discusses polycystic ovary syndrome with a focus on androgen excess as the primary symptom and notes that insulin resistance may contribute to it in many patients, but provides no new research findings.

research Hair Density in African Americans

129 citations , June 1999 in “Archives of Dermatology”

This study found that hair density is significantly lower in African Americans compared to whites, which may affect the evaluation and diagnosis of scalp biopsy specimens in this population.

research The Aesthetics of Follicular Transplantation

67 citations , September 1997 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

This article explores aesthetic techniques in follicular hair transplantation, emphasizing natural-looking results and plans to present a case study, but it reports no new clinical findings.

research Correlation of Serum 3α-Androstanediol Glucuronide with Acne and Chest Hair Density in Men

51 citations , November 1988 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism”

This study found that serum 3 alpha-Adiol-G levels in men are significantly associated with chest hair density and acne, indicating its role in reflecting androgen activity in peripheral tissues.

research Classification of the Types of Androgenetic Alopecia (Common Baldness) Occurring in the Female Sex

666 citations , September 1977 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article presents a classification system for stages of female-pattern androgenetic alopecia to aid early diagnosis and mentions existing systems for rare male-pattern cases, but reports no new clinical results.