Achard Thiers Syndrome

Definition

Definition of Achard Thiers Syndrome
The Achard Thiers syndrome, also called the Diabetic Bearded Woman syndrome or diabete des femmes a barbe, is a rare disease which occurs commonly among women who are in their postmenopausal stage. Its name was derived from the combination of the names of Joseph Thiers and Emile Achard. This is characterized by insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus (an example is glucosuria) and also indications of excess in androgen. This syndrome has the combined features of Cushing syndrome and Adrenogenital syndrome. It is a form of virilizing disease which is adrenocortical in origin. And since androgen is excessive on this disease, the common manifestations are masculinization (the voice pitch is lowered) and menstrual disorders (the menstrual flow can be sparse or non-existent). There are also cases of growth of ‘manly hair’ all over the body. The most common complication of this disorder is hirsutism.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Achard Thiers Syndrome
The list of signs and symptoms for Achard-Thiers Syndrome includes the 21 symptoms listed below:

1. Excess Hair Male Pattern Hair Growth in Females
2. Diabetes Mellitus
3. Voice Changes
4. Absent Menstruation
5. Sparse Menstruation
6. Excessive Hair Growth
7. Facial Acne
8. Hypertrophic Clitoris
9. Atrophic Breast
10. Obesity
11. Abdominal Striae
12. Increased Blood
13. Hyperplasia of Adrenal Glands
14. Adenoma of Adrenal Glands
15. Atrophic Ovaries
16. Sclerotic Ovaries
17. Pancreatic Changes
18. Increased Islet Cells
19. Pericanalicular Sclerosis
20. Liver Cirrhosis
21. Colloid Changes of Thyroid

Causes

Causes of Achard Thiers Syndrome
To research the causes of Achard-Thiers Syndrome, consider researching the causes of these these diseases that may be similar, or associated with Achard-Thiers Syndrome:

1. Adrenogenital syndrome
2. Cushing syndrome
3. Diabetic bearded woman syndrome

Prevalence

Prevalence of Achard Thiers Syndrome
This disease is categorized as a rare disorder by the Office of Rare Diseases. It means that the Achard-Thiers syndrome affects only less than 20,000 of the entire US population.

Treatment

Treatment of Achard Thiers Syndrome
The most effective treatment for Achard Thiers syndrome is to treat the underlying cause which is diabetes mellitus. An effective treatment should normalize the blood glucose and decrease the complications through the use of insulin replacement, exercise and proper diet. The present forms of insulin replacement are the multiple-dose, split-mixed dose, mixed-dose and single-dose regimens. The use of human insulin that has been purified is now common. Type 2 diabetic patients may need antidiabetic drugs that are administered orally to stimulate the production of endogenous insulin, to restrain hepatic gluconeogenesis, and increase sensitivity of the insulin at cellular level. For those who suffer from obesity, it is imperative for them to get rid of some of their excess weight. There are five types of drugs for diabetes treatment: sulfonylureas, meglitinides, biguanides, alpha-glucosidase and thiazolidinediones. These drugs enhance insulin action and also tend to lower the blood pressure of hypertensive patients.