Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman

Objective. To report an unusual case of ovarian Leydig cell hyperplasia resulting in virilization in a postmenopausal woman. Methods. Patient’s medical history and pertinent literature were reviewed. Results. A 64-year-old woman presented with virilization with worsening hirsutism, deepening of her...

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Main Authors: Jaya M. Mehta, Jeffrey L. Miller, Anthony J. Cannon, Stacey K. Mardekian, Lawrence C. Kenyon, Serge A. Jabbour
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/762745
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author Jaya M. Mehta
Jeffrey L. Miller
Anthony J. Cannon
Stacey K. Mardekian
Lawrence C. Kenyon
Serge A. Jabbour
author_facet Jaya M. Mehta
Jeffrey L. Miller
Anthony J. Cannon
Stacey K. Mardekian
Lawrence C. Kenyon
Serge A. Jabbour
author_sort Jaya M. Mehta
collection DOAJ
description Objective. To report an unusual case of ovarian Leydig cell hyperplasia resulting in virilization in a postmenopausal woman. Methods. Patient’s medical history and pertinent literature were reviewed. Results. A 64-year-old woman presented with virilization with worsening hirsutism, deepening of her voice, male musculature, and male pattern alopecia. Her pertinent past medical history included type 1 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Her pertinent past surgical history included hysterectomy due to fibroids. On further work-up, her serum total testosterone was 506 ng/dL (nl range: 2–45) and free testosterone was 40 pg/mL (nl range: 0.1–6.4). After ruling out adrenal causes, the patient underwent an empiric bilateral oophorectomy that showed Leydig cell hyperplasia on pathology. Six weeks postoperatively, serum testosterone was undetectable with significant clinical improvement. Conclusion. Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism can be the result of numerous etiologies ranging from normal physiologic changes to ovarian or rarely adrenal tumors. Our patient was found to have Leydig cell hyperplasia of her ovaries, a rarely reported cause of virilization.
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spelling doaj-art-a59ec1a856be41e1b097b00d0ed214f82025-08-20T03:38:31ZengWileyCase Reports in Endocrinology2090-65012090-651X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/762745762745Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal WomanJaya M. Mehta0Jeffrey L. Miller1Anthony J. Cannon2Stacey K. Mardekian3Lawrence C. Kenyon4Serge A. Jabbour5Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, 211 South 9th Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USADivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, 211 South 9th Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USAPrivate Practice, 3836 Quakerbridge Road, Suite 206, Trenton, NJ 08619, USADepartment of Pathology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 285 Main Building, 132 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USADepartment of Pathology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 280 Main Building, 132 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USADivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, 211 South 9th Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USAObjective. To report an unusual case of ovarian Leydig cell hyperplasia resulting in virilization in a postmenopausal woman. Methods. Patient’s medical history and pertinent literature were reviewed. Results. A 64-year-old woman presented with virilization with worsening hirsutism, deepening of her voice, male musculature, and male pattern alopecia. Her pertinent past medical history included type 1 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Her pertinent past surgical history included hysterectomy due to fibroids. On further work-up, her serum total testosterone was 506 ng/dL (nl range: 2–45) and free testosterone was 40 pg/mL (nl range: 0.1–6.4). After ruling out adrenal causes, the patient underwent an empiric bilateral oophorectomy that showed Leydig cell hyperplasia on pathology. Six weeks postoperatively, serum testosterone was undetectable with significant clinical improvement. Conclusion. Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism can be the result of numerous etiologies ranging from normal physiologic changes to ovarian or rarely adrenal tumors. Our patient was found to have Leydig cell hyperplasia of her ovaries, a rarely reported cause of virilization.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/762745
spellingShingle Jaya M. Mehta
Jeffrey L. Miller
Anthony J. Cannon
Stacey K. Mardekian
Lawrence C. Kenyon
Serge A. Jabbour
Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
Case Reports in Endocrinology
title Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
title_full Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
title_fullStr Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
title_full_unstemmed Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
title_short Ovarian Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: An Unusual Case of Virilization in a Postmenopausal Woman
title_sort ovarian leydig cell hyperplasia an unusual case of virilization in a postmenopausal woman
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/762745
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