[Androgens: a critical study of the biological diagnosis of the hirsute women. Screening for incomplete blockage of 21-hydroxylase].

In 19 patients with unexplained hirsutism without virilisation, a check-up includes delta 4- androstenedione (A), testosterone, DHEA-S. A appears like the best hyperandrogenemia parameter. Nevertheless 5 patients among this group have normal values of all these hormones. A mild congenital adrenal hyperplasia by 21 hydroxylase deficiency is revealed by abnormal response of 17 -OH-progesterone in the cosyntropin test. Our normal value of delta-OHP is, according to Gutai, method, 1.58 +/- 0.83 NG/DL/MN.