ABSTRACT
Introduction: Hyperandrogenism remains as one of the key features in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and can be assessed clinically or determined by biochemical assays. Hirsutism is the most common clinical manifestation of hyperandrogenism. The clinical assessment is subjected to wide variability due to poor interobserver agreement and multiple population factors such as ethnic variation, cosmetic procedures and genetic trait. The difficulty in resolving the androgen excess biochemically is due to a lack of consensus as to which serum androgen should be measured for the diagnosis of PCOS. The aim of the study was to compare and establish the diagnostic cut off value for different androgen biomarker for the diagnosis of PCOS. Materials and Methods: A total of 312 patients classified to PCOS (n = 164) and non PCOS (n = 148) cohorts were selected from the Laboratory Information System (LIS) based on serum total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) from the period of 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016. PCOS was diagnosed based on Rotterdam criteria. Clinical hyperandrogenism and ultrasound polycystic ovarian morphology were obtained from the clinical records. The other relevant biochemical results such as serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and albumin were also obtained from LIS. Free androgen index (FAI), calculated free testosterone (cFT) and calculated bioavailable testosterone (cBT) were calculated for these patients. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed for serum TT, SHBG, FAI, cFT, cBT and LH: FSH ratio to determine the best marker to diagnose PCOS. Results: All the androgen parameters (except SHBG) were significantly higher in PCOS patients than in control (p<0.0001). The highest area under curve (AUC) curve was found for cBT followed by cFT and FAI. TT and LH: FSH ratio recorded a lower AUC and the lowest AUC was seen for SHBG. cBT at a cut off value of 0.86 nmol/L had the highest specificity, 83% and positive likelihood ratio (LR) at 3.79. This is followed by FAI at a cut off value of 7.1% with specificity at 82% and cFT at a cut off value of 0.8 pmol/L with specificity at 80%. All three calculated androgen indices (FAI, cFT and cBT) showed good correlation with each other. Furthermore, cFT, FAI and calculated BT were shown to be more specific with higher positive likelihood ratio than measured androgen markers. Conclusions: Based on our study, the calculated testosterone indices such as FAI, cBT and cFT are useful markers to distinguish PCOS from non-PCOS. Owing to ease of calculation, FAI can be incorporated in LIS and can be reported with TT and SHBG. This will be helpful for clinician to diagnose hyperandrogenism in PCOS.
ABSTRACT
[Objective]To evaluate the terminal hair growth of different body positions among in pregnant women ,analyze the contribution of each area to the diagnosis to hirsutism ,to improve the mFG scoring system.[Method]Pregnant women aged 20~41 years,with normal range of total testosterone levels and non-hirsute were recruited at their prenatal care in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University. They were followed up before pregnancy,at the 5th and the 9th week,the 10th and the 14th week, the 15th and the 20th week,the 21th and the 24th week of gestation. Then 72 more cases of pregnant women were recruited and followed up at 15~24th week. At each time of followed up,their total testosterone(TT)levels was examined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(LC/MS-MS)and terminal hair growth were assessed by mFG score. Significant difference procedure least(LSD) analysis of variance was used to compare the levels of testosterone and mFG score in different gestational weeks. Receiver operating characteristics(ROC)analysis and logistics analysis were conducted to evaluate the contributory strength of hair growth in each body position for the diagnosis of hirsutism. The scores in the body area which made a significant contribution to the total were summed up and termed the simplified mFG score(sFG score). Following,the sFG scores were subjected to ROC analysis to determine the thresh-old that would maximize both the sensitivity and specificity of the measure to accurately distinguish hirsute from non-hirsute patients.[Results]Among the forty three pregnant women who were followed-up from before pregnancy to 24th week,the mean±SD for TT was (1.09 ± 0.59)nmol/L before pregnancy,and(1.13 ± 0.40),(1.28 ± 0.38),(1.83 ± 0.63),(1.82 ± 0.52)nmol/L for 5~ 9th,10~14th,15~20th week,and the mFG score was 1.65 ± 0.60,2.30 ± 0.45,3.60 ± 0.68,4.20 ± 0.41 and 4.40 ± 0.77,respectively. The order of the facial and body sites presented with new terminal hair growth was upper abdomen,lower abdomen,lower back,up-per lip,thighs,upper back,chest,upper arm,and chin,in sequence. After analyzing 115 cases(including the 72 cases recruited later),ROC analysis showed that the diagnostic value of different sites for hirsutism(mFG≥5):upper lip>lower back>thighs>lower abdomen>upper arm>upper back>chest/upper abdomen. Four sites among them ,namely upper lip ,lower back ,thighs and lower abdomen had the best diagnostic value,and the AUC for ROC were 0.779,0.728,0.675,and 0.626,respectively. Both ROC and logistic analysis indicated that he most significant body areas in defining hirsutism(defined as an mFG score≥5)were the upper lip, lower back,thighs,and lower abdomen. Using a cut-off value of 3,the combination of the four areas has the best sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing hirsute from non-hirsute women. [Conclusion]The study suggested that the mFG score increased as pregnancy progressed before the 24 weeks of gestation. The subset of upper lip,lower back,thighs and lower abdomen may be a reli-able simplification of mFG system for the evaluation of excess hair growth. The cut-off value was of≥3.
ABSTRACT
Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia del hirsutismo en la ciudad de Manizales, caracterizar la patología desde su perspectiva demográfica y clínica, y relacionar las diferentes variables con la presencia o no de hirsutismo. Metodología: Investigación de corte transversal de nivel analítico, basada en el estudio de una población de acceso de 830 estudiantes de primer año de las universidades de la ciudad, quienes fueron encuestadas y examinadas aplicando la escala estandarizada de Ferriman y Gallwey modificada (F-Gm), previo consentimiento informado. Resultados: La prevalencia de hirsutismo encontrada para un puntaje de 8 de la escala de F-Gm es del 20,5%, el percentil 95 hallado equivale a 12 puntos. Se encontró mayor frecuencia de hirsutismo en los diferentes puntos de corte evaluados en las mujeres: con edad entre los 20 y 24 años, mestizas, con antecedente y presencia de acné, con padres con calvicie, con hermanas con hirsutismo. Existe correlación negativa entre el puntaje de la escala de F-Gm y edad de la pubarca, presión arterial sistólica y estrato socioeconómico; y correlación positiva con el perímetro abdominal. Conclusiones: Para la población estudiada el signo hirsutismo presenta prevalencia similar a la encontrada en otros estudios publicados, el percentil 95 como parámetro de normalidad de 12 en la escala F-Gm es superior a los puntos de corte informados en la literatura.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hirsutism in the city of Manizales (Colombia), to characterize its pathology from its demographic and medical perspective and to relate the different variables with the presence or absence of hirsutism. Methodology: Transversal analytical research based on the study of a population composed by 830 female freshmen attending several local universities who were surveyed and examined applying Ferriman and Gallwey modified scale (F-Gm) previous informed consent. Results: The prevalence of hirsutism for a score of 8 in the F-Gm scale was 20.5%; the 95 percentile found is equivalent to 12 points. An increased frequency of hirsutism was found in the cut off points evaluated in women with the following characteristics: age 20 to 24, mestizo, with a history and presence of acne, bald parents and sisters with hirsutism. There is negative relation between the score in the F-Gm scale and the pubarche age, systolic blood pressure, socio-economic status. On the contrary, it positively correlated with abdominal circumference. Conclusions: For the population studied hirsutism showed a similar prevalence to that found in the population studied compared to published data. Nevertheless, the 95 percentile, as a normality parameter of 12 in the F-Gm scale, is higher than the cut off points informed in the literature.