Serum immunoreactive inhibin levels in polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) and hypogonadotropic amenorrhea.
To evaluate the physiological significance of inhibin in various types of amenorrhea, serum immunoreactive (IR)-inhibin levels were measured and compared with those in normal cycling women. Amenorrheic women were as follows: (1) 23 women with PCOD, 11 women with hypogonadotropic amenorrhea (HA, n = 23) and 11 women with regular menstrual cycles. Women with HA were further divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of withdrawal bleeding (WDB) after progesterone administration. HA with WDB was categorized as HA1, while HA without as HA 2. Serum IR-inhibin levels in women with PCOD were significantly higher than those in HA 2 and normal women at days 2 to 5 from the onset of menstruation and significantly lower than those in normal women in the mid-luteal phase. A significant positive correlation was obtained between IR-inhibin and FSH in HA 2 (r = 0.681) and HA 1 (r = 0.658), but no significant correlation between these two hormones in PCOD and normal women. These results indicated that basal IR-inhibin levels vary with types of amenorrhea. High IR-inhibin levels in PCOD patients suggest that inhibin plays a part in the discordant gonadotropin secretion in these patients.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
H
H
Mizunuma
K
K
Andoh
M
M
Obara
M
M
Yamaguchi
T
T
Kamijo
Y
Y
Hasegawa
Y
Y
Ibuki
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*
D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone