title: Serum levels of androstenedione, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in patients with premature ovarian failure to age-matched menstruating controls.
abstract: Serum concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were measured in 29 patients with premature ovarian failure (POF) and an identical number of age-matched normal control subjects. The study was aimed at determining possible differences in androgen concentrations of ovarian and adrenal origin in POF patients and age-matched normal menstruating controls. Serum testosterone and DHEAS concentrations in the 2 populations were not significantly different. The serum androstenedione concentration in the POF patient group (3,077.50 +/- 1,122.33 pmol/l) was significantly lower than in age-matched normal control subjects (4,167.70 +/- 1,381.09 pmol/l, p < 0.005), possibly reflecting the loss of ovarian androstenedione secretion and/or a subtle defect in adrenal steroidogenic capacity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California at Irvine, USA.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pandian
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rojas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000097:blood; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone