3a,17f-Androstanediol Glucuronide in Plasma A MARKER

ripheral androgen metabolites in plasma were mea-sured in 25 women with idiopathic hirsutism (IH). Plasma testosterone was not significantly elevated. Free testosterone however was increased although the elevation was not impressive (10.9±6.6 SD vs. 3.3±1.5 ng/dl) and one-fourth of the cases had normal un-bound testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) values were elevated (23.5±14 vs. 12.5±3.59) but again over half of the values were within the normal range. In our series of mild to moderate cases, 3a-diol was not at all discriminatory. However, plasma 3a-diol gluc-uronide was markedly increased (604±376 vs. 40±10 ng/dl), and elevated in all but one mild case. Previous studies document that DHT is the important androgen in skin and formation of DHT and 3at-diol is markedly increased in vitro in IH. Since 3a-diol glucuronide is derived largely from extrasplanchnic events, f3-gluc-uronidase is present in skin, and androgen stimulates formation of the enzyme in extrasplanchnic tissue, we conclude that 3a-diol glucuronide is a marker of pe-ripheral androgen action and markedly elevated in IH