Serum levels of 3α-androstanediol glucuronide in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome, idiopathic hirsutism and in normal subjects

Objective The study objective was to assess the role of 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3α-diolG) as the marker of peripheral androgen action in the young women with hirsutism diagnosed as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in patients with idiopathic hirsutism (IH) and in normal non-hirsute women. Study design Fifty-nine young women with mean age 21.90 ± 3.52 years suffered from hirsutism were included in the study. Among these 59 hirsute women 31 women with mean age 21.60 ± 3.56 years were diagnosed as PCOS and 28 women with mean age 22.20 ± 3.59 years were classified as idiopathic hirsutism patients. Twenty-seven normal women, age-matched (mean age 22.60 ± 2.90 years), without signs of hirsutism and with normal menstrual cycle served as control for this study. Serum was collected from women with hirsutism (due to PCOS or idiopathic hirsutism) and from non-hirsute women. Serum levels of 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3α-diolG), main androgens such as: testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) and also others hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and sex hormone-binding globuline (SHBG) were measured using radioimmunoassay (RIA) method in the study and control group. Hirutism was assessed using modified Ferriman–Gallwey method. Serum 3α-diolG levels in PCOS women were significantly higher than in controls. Results There were no significant differences between serum 3α-diolG levels in PCOS group and IH group. Similarly, there were significant differences between serum 3α-diolG levels in IH group and control subjects. Conclusion We conclude that 3α-diolG is not useful as the marker for peripheral androgen metabolism and for differentiation between idiopathic hirsutism and PCO-related hirsutism.