Adrenocortical Hyperfunction in “Idiopathic” Hirsutism and the Stein-Leventhal Syndrome1

Abstract

A detailed examination of the urinary steroids was made in 13 women with hirsutism, including 4 with associated clinical and pathological findings typical of the Stein-eventhal syndrome. Excessive production of 2 adrenal hormone metabolites, androsterone and etiocholanolone, was noted in all subjects together with a lesser but significant elevation in the metabolites of 11-oxygenated hormones. In the light of previous knowledge concerning the source and physiologic character of the hormonal precursors of these metabolites, it can be presumed that the steroidal aberration manifest in these women was a relative hypersecretion of androgenic hormone, or hormones, from the adrenal cortex. A significant relationship is strongly implied between the excess production of adrenal androgen and the hypertrichosis in these women.