ACHARD – THIERS SYNDROME

A disorder in diabetic women characterized by development of excessive hair on the face and chin. The condition is also called virilism. Women with this syndrome often have changes of the voice and menstrual difficulties. Their breasts get smaller, they gain weight, and the clitories enlarges.

Achard-Thiers syndrome may be associated with enlargement of the adrenal glands and with excess androgenic (male) hormones in the bloodstream. In drastic cases, surgical removel of adrenal glands may be required; the woman must then, however, take for life the hormones normally manufactured by the adrenal cortex, as these are essential to life.