Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2009) 20 P425

ECE2009 Poster Presentations Diabetes and Cardiovascular (103 abstracts)

Effects of oral contraceptives versus no treatment on glucose tolerance and patients’ satisfaction during long time follow up in 69 hirsute patients

Magdalene Andries , Dorte Glintborg & Marianne Andersen


Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.


Objective: To evaluate the long term risk for diabetes and insulin resistance in untreated and oral contraceptive (OC) treated hirsute patients.

Design: Cross sectional study.

Setting: Academic tertiary-care medical centre.

Patients: Of 233 Caucasian hirsute women were evaluated during 1997–2002 (baseline) and re-contacted in 2003–2004. Of 159 patients returned questionnaires and 69 attended clinical examinations.

Interventions: Two-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Main outcome measures: Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), hirsutism.

Results: The median follow-up period was (median (range)) 4 (2–7) years. Evaluated by questionnaires, 91/130 (70%) patients had terminated OC treatment at follow-up. OC treatment significantly improved hirsutism. Cosmetic treatment compared to no cosmetic treatment had no significant long-term effects on hirsutism.

During clinical examinations (n=69), BMI was 24.9 (22.4–29.0) kg/m2 and total Ferriman–Gallwey score was 10 (7–15) (median (25–75 quartile)). Medically untreated patients (47/69) had increased fasting and 2 h glucose levels compared to baseline, whereas BMI was unchanged. Of 4/47 (8.5%) untreated patients developed diabetes and 5/47 (10.6%) developed IGT. OC treated patients had significantly decreased AUC insulin during follow up, whereas HDL and AUC glucose increased.

Conclusion: Of 8.5% untreated patients developed diabetes during follow-up, suggesting a high diabetes risk in hirsutism. OC treatment improved hirsutism.

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