title: Pituitary function before, during, and after chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine possible adverse effects on pituitary function of long-term administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective analysis of blood sampling before, during, and after GnRH-a therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary institutional outpatient care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve normally ovulatory women with a diagnosis of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-month suppression with GnRH-a.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, free thyroxin index, cortisol (F), growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Basal and stimulated values of gonadotropins, PRL, F, TSH, and GH were normal and unchanged by 6 months of GnRH-a after resumption of menses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Utilizing dynamic pituitary function tests, we were unable to demonstrate an adverse effect of long-term GnRH-a therapy on pituitary function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California-Los Angeles.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Cedars
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Steingold
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Meldrum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; C029256:histrelin; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone