[Clinical value of the dexamethasone-HCG test in females with hirsutism with special reference to 17-beta-hydroxyandrogens].

The dexamethasone-hcg-test was administered to 34 hospitalized patients, aged 17 to 45, who were suffering from hirsutism in order to reveal the source of their androgen levels, which in most cases were elevated. In addition to the usual estimation of urinary 17-ketosteroids and urinary 17-OH-corticosteroids plasma 17-beta-hidroxiandrogens and androstendione were measured by RIA. The results of the tests varied to a high degree and could not be related to the clinical findings. The authors conclude that administration of dexamethasone-hcg-test is of small value in detecting the source of hirsutism.