Effect of systemic hyperandrogenism on the adrenal response to adrenocorticotropin hormone.

ABSTRACT

A virilized patient with an androgen-producing ovarian tumor was used to illustrate the effect of chronic hyperandrogenism on the adrenal response to ACTH. The accumulation rates of substrates for 3 beta-ol dehydrogenase, 21-hydroxylase, and 11 beta-hydroxylase remained unchanged after oophorectomy. This suggests that chronic hyperandrogenism does not affect the activity of enzymes involved in adrenal steroidogenesis.