Serum bioactive and immunoreactive luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in women with cycle abnormalities, with or without polycystic ovarian disease.
Serum steroid, gonadotropin, and alpha-subunit levels were assessed in 35 women with cycle abnormalities [11 with and 24 without polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) according to strict clinical and biochemical criteria] and 8 regularly cycling women in the early (cycle day 3 or 4) and mid (cycle day 7 or 8) follicular phase. LH and FSH levels were estimated using two immunological techniques [RIA and immunoradiometric assay (IRMA)] and in vitro bioassays (BIO), using mouse Leydig cells and rat granulosa cells, respectively. In PCOD patients mean alpha-subunit, free androgen index [FAI; testosterone x 100/sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)], androstenedione, estrone, and estradiol (E2) were significantly elevated compared to levels in the early follicular phase of control cycles and non-PCOD patients. In addition, in PCOD patients mean IRMA-LH and RIA-LH levels were distinctly increased (2.8- to 3.6 fold, respectively; both comparisons, P less than 0.001) compared to control values, but in the same order of magnitude (1.3- to 1.4-fold increments) as that in non-PCOD patients. However, the median BIO-LH level in PCOD patients was 5.9-fold higher than that in non-PCOD patients and 4.0-fold higher than the BIO-LH in the early follicular phase of control women. Consequently, the median BIO/IRMA-LH ratio was 4.8-fold higher in PCOD patients compared to non-PCOD patients. In women with cycle abnormalities, individual BIO/IRMA-LH ratios correlated with BIO-LH (rs = 0.48), FAI (rs = 0.39), free estrogens (E2/SHBG ratios; rs = 0 0.47), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (rs = 0.60) concentrations. Mean IRMA-, RIA-, and BIO-FSH levels and BIO/IRMA-FSH ratios were not significantly different when various groups were compared. Although RIA- and IRMA-LH levels showed good correlation (rs = 0.88), RIA-LH levels were consistently higher, resulting in distinctly higher RIA-LH/FSH ratios (mean, 4.5) compared to IRMA-LH/FSH ratios (median, 1.8) in PCOD patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Fauser
B C
BC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dijkzigt University Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Pache
T D
TD
Lamberts
S W
SW
Hop
W C
WC
de Jong
F H
FH
Dahl
K D
KD
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D051379:Mice; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone