Comparison of disease severity and ultrasonographic abdominal subcutaneous fatty tissue thickness in hirsute women

Abstract

Hirsutism is a condition defining as acquired excess of hairs in the androgen-sensitive skin regions of women. It may be idiopathic, or can be resulted from metabolic or androgen-related disorders. Objective: In order to determine of possible correlation between hirsutism scores and central obesity, comparisons of abdominal subcutaneous fatty tissue thickness, metabolic syndrome criteria and also hirsutism-related hormones, according to hirsutism stages were aimed. Method: A prospective study was conducted on 144 women between the ages of 18-50, from October 2014 to March 2016. Beside hirsutism scores (determined by modified Ferriman-Gallway evaluation system) and subcutaneous abdominal fatty tissue thickness, metabolic syndrome criteria and hirsutism-related hormones were detected. Fatty tissue thicknes were determined by ultrasonographic measurements from 4 points around the umbilicus. Data was compared to hirsutism stages, and evaluated with Number Cruncher Statistical System 2007, as considered p < 0.05 was significant. Results: Only moderate and severe hirsutism groups were detected, and mean age was 24.47 ±7.52 years. The most accompanying finding was polycystic ovary syndrome. Higher means for fatty tissue thickness (p=0.0001 for each four region), weight, body mass index, waist circumferences, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (each p=0.0001), insulin (p=0.038), Homeostatic Model Assesment for Insulin Resistance (p=0.033), triglyceride (p=0.003), free androgen index (p=0.004) and total testosterone (p=0.036), and lower means for high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.003) and sex hormone binding globuline (p=0.008) were obtained in severe hirsutism group. Existence of 1, 2 and 3 metabolic syndrome criteria, and diagnosis of metabolic syndrome were also more detected in higher-score group (each p=0.0001). Conclusions: Women with higher hirsutism scores are more likely to develop thicker subcutaneous abdominal fatty tissue and metabolic syndrome than those with moderate scores. Subcutaneous abdominal fatty tissue thicknesss may a simple metabotrophic indicator for preliminary assessment of severity of hirsutism in especially overweight women.