Congenital adrenal hyperplasia among peripubertal girls with hyperandrogenism.

Fifteen girls with severe hyperandrogenism were investigated by us during the last 6 years. Thirteen of these were cases of untreated congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and 2 were cases of tumoral (one sertoli leydig cell tumor of the ovary and one adrenal adenoma) hyperandrogenism. Here we present the clinical profile and laboratory data of those with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. All the girls had masculinization of genitalia (clitoromegaly alone 5, clitoromegaly with varying degree of posterior labial fusion 8). Eleven cases had hirsutism and 9 had short stature. Two patients underwent unilateral adrenelectomy with diagnosis of adrenal adenoma. Hormonal profile confirmed the diagnosis of CAH with 21 hydroxylase deficiency (elevated 17 OHP levels with exaggerated 17 OHP response to ACTH) in 12 cases and 3 beta hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase deficiency (elevated DHEAS and 17 pregnenelone levels and exaggerated DHEAS and 17 pregnenelone response to ACTH) in one case.