Hirsutism and Body Mass Index in Igala Adolescents of Nigeria

Hirsutism is excessive terminal hair growth in women which follows a male pattern distribution. Adipose tissue contributes up to 50% of the circulating testosterone in premenopausal women due to excessive production of androgen in the fat tissue. This study is aimed at evaluating the relationship between body mass index and hirsutism. Three hundred and twenty two adolescent female students between the ages of 13-19 years were recruited in this study. The degree of hirsutism was determined by modified Ferriman Gallway score (F&G score), which quantified the presence of terminal hair over nine body parts: the upper lip, chin, chest, upper and lower abdomen, thighs, upper and lower back, and upper arms. The score varies from 0 (no hair) to 4 (extensive hair growth) in each area. Total score < 8 was termed normal hair growth, total score between 8-14 was termed mild hirsutism and total score ? 15 was termed severe hirsutism. Height and weight were measured using a stadiometer, and the body mass index was calculated as weight/height2 (kg/m2). The data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 (IBM, New York). There was no significant difference between the three groups in regards to age. On the other hand, a significant difference was observed in the three groups with respect to height (P=0.008) as female with normal hair growth were taller than those with mild and severe hirsutism. Weight and body mass index were higher in females with severe hirsutism as compared to those with mild hirsutism and normal hair growth. The Chi- square test showed an insignificant difference between the three groups regarding body mass index (P> 0.05)

Key Words: Hirsutism, Body mass index, Height, Weight