Assessment of hirsutism among Korean women: Results of a randomly selected sample of women seeking pre-employment physical check-up

Background The objectives of this study were to define the distribution of the modified FerrimanGallwey (mF-G) score in a random group of Korean women and to study any association(s) between hirsutism and endocrine/metabolic markers. Methods A single investigator assessed the mF-G score prospectively in 1010 Korean women, who consulted a health-care center as part of a group check-up for employment. Logistic regression models were utilized to test the relationships between the presence of hirsutism and levels of endocrine/metabolic markers. Results Subjects had mF-G scores ranging from 0 to 19, and 505 subjects (50.0) had an mF-G score of zero. Of the 1010 subjects, 95.1 had a score at or below six; thus, a score of six or greater represented hirsute women in our population. The most frequently affected site was the upper back, but the most densely affected area was found to be the lower abdomen. Hirsutism was significantly and positively associated with serum levels of total testosterone (T) and hemoglobin A1c, but negatively associated with those of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). In addition, the odds of a woman developing hirsutism were higher for increased total T and HbA1c, and lower for decreased SHBG. Hirsutism and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance were positively associated, but the relationship was not significant after adjusting for age and BMI. Conclusions mF-G scores greater that six represent the appropriate diagnostic cutoff for the detection of hirsutism in Korean women. Increased serum total T and HbA1c, and decreased SHBG concentrations were associated with the presence of hirsutism.