Adrenal and ovarian vein androgen levels and laparoscopic findings in hirsute women

Abstract

Hirsute women pose a diagnostic dilemma when urinary 17-ketosteroid and serum testosterone levels are normal. To locate the site of androgen excess in 19 hirsute women, blood samples were collested from the left ovarian and adrenal veins via a catheter insertedinto the right femoral vein. Laparoscopy and bilateral ovarian biopsies were also preformed in 18 of the 19 patients studied. Nine women had elevated 17ketosteroid (fivepatients) and/or antecubital serum testosterone (five patients) levels. Fourteen womanhad elevated testosterone concentrations distributed as follows: ovarian vein (six), adrenal vein (one), adrenal and ovarian veins (seven). Androstenedione was elevated in theovarian vein (seven) and both adrenal and ovarian veins (11) in 18 patients. Laparoscopic examinations revealed that less than 50 per cent of the enlarged ovaries could be detected by pelvic examination. Histologic studies suggested that these patients comprised two groups: a group (six patients) who appeared to ovulate and a group (12 patients) who lacked evidence of ovulation.