LXXXIX The Effect of Androgen Therapy on the Voice and Vocal Cords of Adult Women

Abstract

During the course of administering androgens in the treatment of female endocrine disorders, the observation was made that a number of the women developed changes in the character of the voice 'and in the physical appearance of the larynx whichcould not be attributed to anything but the hormone therapy.i" In view of the increasing use of male sex hormone, in the treatment of endocrinopathic gynecologic disorders, it seemed important to study these laryngeal changes and determine whether they can be prevented.The observations in this communication were made from a series of over 400 patients who were treated with various androgens; viz., testosterone propionate administered intramuscularly, methyl testosterone orally, testosterone by implantation of pellets, and testosterone in solution in propylene glycol sublingually, in the Gynecological Endocrine Clinic at The Mount Sinai Hospital during the past four years. The series comprises cases of dysmenorrhea, menometrorrhagia, premenstrual tension and menopause syndrome. The patients varied in age from 16 to 61 years. In this report we wish to describe our observations in 23 cases that manifested striking vocal and laryngeal changes as a result of the intramuscular administration of testosterone propionate.The total amount of testosterone propionate which these patients received varied from 225 to 3,000 mg. over periods extending from one to 22 months, given in individual doses of 25 or 50 mg. two or three times weekly.