Relative Prevalence of Different Androgen Excess Disorders in 950 Women Referred Because of Clinical Hyperandrogenism

In a 2006 study involving 950 women referred for clinical hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was identified as the most prevalent disorder, accounting for 72.1% of cases, with classic anovulatory PCOS at 56.6% and ovulatory PCOS at 15.5%. Other conditions included idiopathic hyperandrogenism (15.8%), idiopathic hirsutism (7.6%), nonclassic adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) (4.3%), and androgen-secreting tumors (0.2%). The study highlighted that patients with classic PCOS tended to have increased body weight, while those with NCAH were younger, exhibited more hirsutism, and had higher levels of testosterone and other androgens. The findings underscored the dominance of PCOS in hyperandrogenism referrals and the significance of recognizing milder forms of androgen excess.