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Androgenic Disorders and Abnormal Pubertal Development

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Abnormal Female Puberty
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Abstract

Symptoms related to androgen excess in girls and women are a frequent cause for referrals to the endocrinologist or gynecologist. History and physical examination provide important data regarding the chronicity, severity, and exact nature of the complaints. Laboratory determinations contribute to understanding the source of androgen production, and aid in the decision of how to best treat the patient. Imaging studies may be used judiciously to augment these findings. At the other end of the spectrum and less frequently seen are conditions in which there is inadequate sex hormone production. The latter cases may be difficult to distinguish from idiopathic or functional causes of pubertal disruption, and often require dynamic tests of the pituitary–adrenal or ovarian axes, along with a more in-depth search for genetic causes. This chapter will provide a case-based approach to solving typical cases encountered in adolescence.

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Abbreviations

17OHP:

17-Hydroxyprogesterone

BMI:

Body mass index

CNS:

Central nervous system

DOC:

Deoxycorticosterone

GC:

Glucocorticoid

MAS:

McCune–Albright syndrome

MCR:

Mineralocorticoid receptor

[N]CAH:

[Nonclassic] congenital adrenal hyperplasia

PCOS:

Polycystic ovarian syndrome

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Correspondence to Phyllis W. Speiser M.D. .

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Speiser, P.W. (2016). Androgenic Disorders and Abnormal Pubertal Development. In: Appelbaum, H. (eds) Abnormal Female Puberty. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27225-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27225-2_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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