We aimed to research whether there was a difference in terms of the 2:4 finger ratio between women with hirsutism and healthy women without hirsutism and the correlation between degree of hirsutism and 2:4 finger ratios and clinically evaluated our results.
Our study included 144 voluntary women (control group: 51, study group: 93) with ages from 18 to 38 years. The hirsutism level of patients was assessed using the Ferriman-Gallway scale with points given from 0 to 4 in 9 body regions. All patients in the study and control groups had measurements of both hands measured by the same research with a digital calipers sensitive to 0.01 mm (INSIZE). The serum total testosterone levels and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) of patients in the study group were biochemically studied. Additionally the age, height and weight values for all patients were recorded in the study.
The length of the 2ndfinger of the right hand in the control group was larger compared to the study group and this difference was identified to be significant (control group 68.40 ± 5.37, study group 65.72 ± 4.94 p = 0.02). Though the right and left hand 2:4 finger ratios were higher in the control group, comparison between the groups did not identify a statistical difference (control group: 0.98 ± 0.05 mm; study group: 0.97 ± 0.06 mm p = 0.8). There was no significant correlation observed between degree of hirsutism and parameters measured on the hands.
The results of our study found that patients with hirsutism may have increased androgen exposure in fetal life or in the adult period and leads to the consideration that this situation may be effective in the etiopathogenesis of hirsutism.