Tissue production of androgens in women with acne

Donald P. Lookingbill, Richard Horton, Laurence M. Demers, Nancy Egan, James G. Marks, Richard J. Santen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

114 Scopus citations

Abstract

Precursor and target tissue-produced androgens were measured in the plasma of eighteen women with mild to moderate acne. Mean plasma levels of the precursor androgens (total testosterone, free testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) were similar to levels in a group of carefully selected acne-free and hirsute-free, age-matched female controls. In contrast, plasma 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3α-diol G) values were elevated in 13 of the patients, with a mean value for the entire group nearly threefold that of the normal controls (117 vs 43 ng/dl; p < 0.001), These results support the concept that target tissue androgen production plays an important hormonal role in the pathogenesis of acne in women and that plasma 3α-diol G may be the most sensitive marker of this process.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)481-487
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1985

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Dermatology

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