SUMMARY In a consecutive series of 41 hirsute women clinically classified as benign androgen excess, only 34% were found to have elevated plasma ‘total’ testosterone (T), 22% having subnormal sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). When expressed as the ratio T/SHBG (‘free androgen index’), 85% of the patients had values above the normal range. It is concluded that this index is more reliable than total testosterone in assessing androgen status in female patients.
References
1.
MathurRSMoodyLOLandgrebeSWilliamsonHO.Plasma androgens and sex hormone-binding globulin in the evaluation of hirsute females. Fertil Steril1981; 35: 29–35.
2.
BurkeCWAndersonDC.Sex-hormone-binding globulin is an oestrogen amplifier. Nature1972; 240: 38–40.
3.
LuisiGPBerniniADel GenoveseRRadioimmunoassay for ‘free’ testosterone in human saliva. J Steroid Biochem1980; 12: 513–6.
4.
BaxendalePMJacobsHSJamesVHT.Salivary testosterone: relationship to unbound plasma testosterone in normal and hyperandrogenic women. Clin Endocr1982; 16: 595–603.
