BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN HYPERANDROGENIC AMENORRHEA

The authors assessed bone mineral density in androgenized amenorrheic (group A; n = 9) and androgenized nonamenorrheic patients (group B; n = 30) and compared it with controls (n = 22). Bone mineral density of group A patients (1.023 +/- 0.045 g/cm2) did not differ from controls (1.047 +/- 0.83 g/cm2); both groups had significantly lower values than group B women (1.099 +/- 0.085 g/cm2). Of the hormonal variables explaining bone mineral density in androgenized women, only dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate had a significant negative correlation (r = -0.45). In contrast to other forms of amenorrhea, women with hyperandrogenic amenorrhea seem to be spared from osteopenia.