Postmenopausal Ovarian Hyperthecosis Associated with Rapid Testosterone Excess

January 2018 in “ Journal of Gynecologic Surgery ”

M RothTed

androgenic alopecia hyperandrogenism ovarian hyperthecosis bilateral oophorectomy unilateral adrenalectomy gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists testosterone hirsutism androgenic hair loss GnRH agonists

TLDR Removing both ovaries can treat increased testosterone and related symptoms in postmenopausal women with ovarian hyperthecosis.

The document described two cases of postmenopausal women who developed rapid onset hirsutism and androgenic alopecia due to hyperandrogenism caused by ovarian hyperthecosis (OH). Imaging techniques confirmed that the excess testosterone was produced by the ovaries. Treatment with bilateral oophorectomy, and in one case an additional unilateral adrenalectomy, normalized serum testosterone levels and resolved the hirsutism. The study highlighted the necessity of excluding neoplastic causes in postmenopausal hyperandrogenism and suggested OH as a potential diagnosis. It concluded that the primary treatments for OH in postmenopausal women are bilateral oophorectomy or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists.

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Research cited in this study

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Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism, a condition with symptoms like increased hair growth and acne, is usually caused by PCOS but can also be due to other factors. It's diagnosed by checking testosterone levels and treated either by removing the adrenal tumor or through antiandrogen therapy.

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Postmenopausal Ovarian Hyperthecosis Associated with Rapid Testosterone Excess

Research cited in this study

research Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment in Postmenopausal Women with Hyperandrogenism of Ovarian Origin

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