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Urinary steroids in women with androgenic alopecia
1Central Research Laboratory, Medical University of Pécs, Honvéd u. 1. H-7643, Pécs, Hungary. Jzsuzsa@main.pote.hu
Objectives:
To determine the nature of the hormonal overproduction in androgenic alopecia.
Design And Methods:
Urinary steroid metabolites were measured after enzyme hydrolysis and methoxym-silyl derivatization by capillary gas chromatography in 56 women with androgenic alopecia and in 17 control healthy laboratory women workers.
Results:
Elevated C19 metabolites of testosterone and androstendione, hyperandrogenemia (p < 0.01), and increased cortisol (p < 0.01) and corticosterone metabolite, aTHB (p < 0.01) were found in patients with androgenic alopecia compared to normal control. Normal 11beta-hydroxylase activity and increased 5alpha-reductase activity were experienced.
Conclusion:
We propose that in addition to the increased excretion of almost all steroid metabolites, the enhanced activity of 5alpha-reductase is the primary defect in the majority of androgenic alopecia.