Routine screening for Cushing's syndrome is not required in patients presenting with hirsutism.

CONTEXT Prevalence of Cushing's syndrome (CS) in patients presenting with hirsutism is not well known. OBJECTIVE Screening of CS in patients with hirsutism. SETTING Referral hospital. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS This study was carried out on 105 patients who were admitted to the Endocrinology Department with the complaint of hirsutism. INTERVENTION All the patients were evaluated with low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) for CS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Response to LDDST in patients presenting with hirsutism. RESULTS All the patients had suppressed cortisol levels following low-dose dexamethasone administration excluding CS. The etiology of hirsutism was polycystic ovary syndrome in 79%, idiopathic hirsutism in 13%, idiopathic hyperandrogenemia in 6%, and nonclassical congenital hyperplasia in 2% of the patients. CONCLUSION Routine screening for CS in patients with a referral diagnosis of hirsutism is not required. For the time being, diagnostic tests for CS in hirsute patients should be limited to patients who have accompanying clinical stigmata of hypercortisolism.