This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Escobar-Morreale, H. F. Articles by Sancho, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Escobar-Morreale, H. F. Articles by Sancho, J.

Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen Concentrations Are Not Useful for Monitoring the Treatment of Hirsutism with Oral Contraceptive Pills¹

Departments of Endocrinology (H.F.E.-M., J.S.) and Biochemistry (S.A.), Hospital Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain

Address correspondence and requests for reprints to: Héctor F. Escobar-Morreale, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Carretera de Colmenar km. 9,100, 28034 Madrid, Spain. E-mail: hector.escobar{at}uam.es

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is produced in several female tissues, under the regulation of steroid hormones. Serum PSA levels are increased in women with hirsutism, and they correlate with serum androgen levels. Therefore, as a marker of androgen excess, measurement of serum PSA may play a role in monitoring the treatment of hirsutism with contraceptive pills.

Sixteen hirsute patients were included in the study. Clinical and biochemical variables, including serum PSA (using an ultrasensitive chemiluminescent immunoassay), total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, estradiol, and gonadotropin concentrations were recorded at baseline and after 3 and 6 cycles of treatment with a monophasic contraceptive pill containing ethynylestradiol and desogestrel. Twenty-seven healthy women served as controls for serum PSA level and for the serum androgen profile.

Serum PSA levels were higher in hirsute patients, as compared with healthy women (mean ± SEM: 0.014 ± 0.003 vs. 0.006 ± 0.001 µg/L, P < 0.02). Despite a marked decrease in serum androgens (total testosterone and androstenedione, calculated free testosterone and free androgen index; and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate) and in the hirsutism score, and a marked increase in sex hormone-binding globulin levels, serum PSA levels did not change and remained detectable in all the hirsute patients after 3 and 6 cycles of treatment with contraceptive pills.

In conclusion, the increased serum PSA levels present in hirsute patients do not change during treatment with contraceptive pills and do not parallel the amelioration in hirsutism and the decrease in serum androgen concentrations that occur during this treatment. Thus, serum PSA measurements have no apparent role in the management of hirsute patients on oral contraceptive treatment, at least with the ultrasensitive assays currently available.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Luque-Ramirez, F. Alvarez-Blasco, M. G. Uriol Rivera, and H. F. Escobar-Morreale Serum uric acid concentration as non-classic cardiovascular risk factor in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: effect of treatment with ethinyl-estradiol plus cyproterone acetate versus metformin Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2008; 23(7): 1594 - 1601. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. H. Slagter, L. J.G. Gooren, W. de Ronde, A. Soosaipillai, A. Scorilas, E. J. Giltay, M. Paliouras, and E. P. Diamandis Serum and Urine Tissue Kallikrein Concentrations in Male-to-Female Transsexuals Treated with Antiandrogens and Estrogens Clin. Chem., July 1, 2006; 52(7): 1356 - 1365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Villuendas, J. I. Botella-Carretero, B. Roldan, J. Sancho, H. F. Escobar-Morreale, and J. L. S. Millan Polymorphisms in the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) gene and the insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) gene influence glucose homeostasis and body mass index in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and non-hyperandrogenic controls Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2005; 20(11): 3184 - 3191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. San Millan, M. Corton, G. Villuendas, J. Sancho, B. Peral, and H. F. Escobar-Morreale Association of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Genomic Variants Related to Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Obesity J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2004; 89(6): 2640 - 2646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Villuendas, J. L. San Millan, J. Sancho, and H. F. Escobar-Morreale The -597 G->A and -174 G->C Polymorphisms in the Promoter of the IL-6 Gene Are Associated with Hyperandrogenism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2002; 87(3): 1134 - 1141. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. F. Escobar-Morreale, R. M. Calvo, J. Sancho, and J. L. San Millan TNF-{alpha} and Hyperandrogenism: A Clinical, Biochemical, and Molecular Genetic Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2001; 86(8): 3761 - 3767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]