OBSERVATIONS ON THE CATABOLISM OF ANDROGENS IN NORMAL AND HIRSUTE WOMEN

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Abstract
The results of 123 fractionation analyses of 17-ketosteroids are presented. The control series consisted of 16 healthy women in the fertile age and 14 women with amenorrhoea without hirsutism. The results of analysis in these two control series were compared with the results in a series of 60 patients with amenorrhoea and hirsutism. Corticotrophin and chorion-gonadotrophin tolerance tests were performed on some of the patients. A statistically significant increase of the dehydroepiandrosterone excretion was evident only in cases of adrenal dysfunction. Increased DHA excretion is due to a deficiency of 3B-hydroxy-dehydrogenase or to a disturbed enzyme function. Hirsutism is due to DHA. Some patients with hypertrichosis and the Stein- Leventhal syndrome had an elevated epiandrosterone excretion. The change was statistically significant. The increased epiandrosterone excretion was a sign of the typical male phenomenon, which promotes the synthesis or activation of some enzyme or cofactor necessary for the 3B-oriented reduction of the 3-ketone. Hirsutism is due to a typical male reductase system.