Which laboratory/ultrasonographic parameters affect the severity of hirsutism?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hirsutism is associated with other androgen-dependent signs/symptoms. This study was designed with the aim of a comprehensive investigation of laboratory and ultrasonographic findings in hirsute women and their probable association with the "severity" of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 123 hirsute women. Comprehensive medical history of each patient was recorded, and a broad physical examination was performed by a single dermatologist. Ferriman-Gallwey score was used to evaluate the hirsutism severity. Pelvic ultrasonography was done by a single radiologist for each patient, and serum levels of the follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/FSH ratio, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, and cortisol were measured. The association of hirsutism severity and these paraclinical parameters was investigated. RESULTS: A statistically significant association was observed between polycystic ovary disease (PCOD) and the severity of hirsutism. A past medical history of PCOD was found to cause more severe forms of hirsutism in the involved patients as well. The presence of hormonal abnormalities was also significantly associated with the severity of hirsutism. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the hirsute patients have endocrine abnormalities and/or PCOD. These two disorders are associated with the severity of hirsutism.

Anemia in children with and without Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in children. Recently there has been evidence to suggest a relationship between Helicobacter pylori gastritis and iron deficiency anemia. Because both H. pylori infection and iron-deficiency anemia are common in children, we studied any correlation between H. pylori infection and iron-deficiency anemia in children. METHOD: In a case-control study at the Children's Medical Center Hospital, 100 children with H. pylori infection and 109 children without infection according to histology were evaluated. Iron-deficiency anemia was diagnosed when serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels were less than adjusted values for age and sex. RESULTS: There were 111 boys and 98 girls with a median age of 7.1 years. The main symptom was abdominal pain in H. pylori-infected and non-infected patients. Frequency of H. pylori infection in anemic and non-anemic patients was nearly similar (43.9 and 50.4%, respectively). Among patients with H. pylori, 36% had anemia and in patient without H. pylori infection, its frequency was 42.2% (p = 0.59). Among patients with H. pylori, 19% had iron-deficiency anemia and in patients without H. pylori infection, its frequency was 21.1% (p = 0.7). Among patients with H. pylori, the difference between the severity of gastritis in those with anemia and those without anemia was not statistically significant (p = 0.382) and no correlation was found between degree of H. pylori colonization and anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the proposal that H. pylori infection is associated with iron-deficiency anemia in children. Further studies emphasizing the socioeconomic status of children, evaluation of strains of H. pylori, and posttreatment measurement of serum iron and serum ferritin are necessary to show the possible association.