Ovarian and Adrenal Androgens and Their Link to High Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels: A Prospective Controlled Study

Media type: E-Article
Title: Ovarian and Adrenal Androgens and Their Link to High Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels: A Prospective Controlled Study
Contributor: Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, René; Villarreal-Pérez, Jesús Zacarías; Morales-Martinez, Felipe Arturo; Rodríguez-Guajardo, René; González-Saldivar, Gloria; Mancillas-Adame, Leonardo G.; Alvarez-Villalobos, Neri Alejandro; Lavalle-Gonzalez, Fernando Javier; González-González, José Gerardo
imprint: Hindawi Limited, 2014
Published in: International Journal of Endocrinology
Language: English
DOI: 10.1155/2014/191247
ISSN: 1687-8345; 1687-8337
Keywords: Endocrine and Autonomic Systems ; Endocrinology ; Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Origination:
Footnote:
Description: <jats:p><jats:italic>Background</jats:italic>. Although the association between human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and hyperandrogenism was identified more than 40 years ago, relevant questions remain unanswered.<jats:italic>Design and Methods</jats:italic>. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, and controlled study in 23 women with a diagnosis of a complete hydatidiform mole (HM).<jats:italic>Results</jats:italic>. All participants completed the study. Before HM evacuation mean hCG was markedly higher in the cases than in the control group (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>≤</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>). Free testosterone (T) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) were found to be higher in the cases (2.78 ± 1.24 pg/mL and 231.50 ± 127.20 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>/dL) when compared to the control group (1.50 ± 0.75 pg/mL and 133.59 ± 60.69 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>/dL) (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.0001</mml:mn></mml:math>and 0.001), respectively. There was a strong correlation between hCG and free T/total T/DHEA-S concentrations (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.78</mml:mn></mml:math>;<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>≤</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>,<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.74</mml:mn></mml:math>; <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>≤</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>, and<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7"><mml:mi>r</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.71</mml:mn></mml:math>; <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>≤</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>), respectively. In the cases group 48 hours after HM evacuation, hCG levels were found to be significantly lower when compared to initial levels (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.001</mml:mn></mml:math>) and free T and DHEA-S declined significantly (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.0002</mml:mn></mml:math>and 0.009).<jats:italic>Conclusion</jats:italic>. Before uterus evacuation, hCG, free T, and DHEA-S levels were significantly higher when compared with controls finding a strong correlation between hCG and free T/DHEA-S levels. Forty-eight hours after HM treatment hCG levels declined and the difference was lost. A novel finding of our study is that in cases, besides free T, DHEA-S was also found to be significantly higher and both the ovaries and adrenal glands appear to be the sites of this androgen overproduction.</jats:p>
Access State: Open Access

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