The Contribution of New Areas to the Total Hirsutism Scores in Basrah Hirsute Women.

Rudha Naser Hussein,Abbas Ali Mansour,Khalil Ismail Al Hamdi

doi:10.3390/diseases5040032

Rudha Naser Hussein, Abbas Ali Mansour + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases5040032

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Abstract

Background: Hirsutism is the presence of excessive growth of terminal hair in a female in the male-like pattern. It is the most common indicator of hyperandrogenism. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of new androgens sensitive skin area to total body hirsutism score. Methods: This was cross-sectional study. Most of the patients in this study group (n = 300) were women of reproductive age group (20–39 years) with a mean age of 26.6 ± 7.1 years. They were recruited in Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center (FDEMC) during the period from August 2016 to the end of August 2017. All complained from hirsutism and were assessed by using modified Ferriman-Gallwey (m-FG) score system by a single examiner. Each patient underwent detailed clinical assessment in addition to transabdominal or transvaginal ultrasonography of the pelvis with endocrinological investigations. Results: Comparison of the mean score at different body areas revealed that new androgens sensitive skin areas (sideburn, lower jaw/neck, buttocks/perineum) were comparable to others area of original m-FG score system or higher than at least three area used in the score. The sideburn area was observed to have the highest score among the new androgens sensitive skin areas. Conclusion: Evaluating the terminal hair growth in the new three androgen-sensitive skin areas (sideburn, lower jaw/neck, and buttocks/perineum) were clinically useful in assessing hirsutism score with high impact on total score.

Highlights

Hirsutism is clinically defined as presence of excessive terminal hairs in females in a male-like pattern in androgen-dependent areas
Comparison of the mean score at different body areas revealed that new androgens sensitive skin areas were comparable to others area of original modified Ferriman-Gallwey (m-FG) score system or higher than at least three area used in the score
We found that the highest mean score and the main contributor to total body hirsutism score were present in the lower abdomen with the mean score of 3.67

Summary

Introduction

Hirsutism is clinically defined as presence of excessive terminal (coarse) hairs in females in a male-like pattern in androgen-dependent areas. Such androgen-dependent areas include the chin, upper lip, chest, breasts, abdomen, back, and anterior thighs [1,2]. Total of 11 different body areas were used to determine the hair growth, including that on the upper lips, the chin, chest, upper back, lower back, upper abdomen lower abdomen, arm, forearm, thigh, and lower leg [3,4]. Most of the patients in this study group (n = 300) were women of reproductive age group (20–39 years) with a mean age of 26.6 ± 7.1 years.

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