Oral glucose challenge effects on growth and sex steroid hormones in normal women and women with hypothalamic amenorrhea.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of growth hormone (GH) on the serum levels of ovarian and adrenal sex steroid hormones in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA).


METHODS
A standard 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in 12 normal women and 16 women with stress-related or weight-loss-related amenorrhea.


RESULTS
Significant progressive declines in GH, testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were observed during the OGTT in the normal and HA groups. Significant positive correlations were observed between GH and T, E2 and DHEAS. The area under the curve (AUC) for the GH response was significantly greater in the HA group than in the normal group. The ratio of the AUC of insulin-like growth factor to that of GH was significantly lower in the HA group.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth hormone may modify ovarian and adrenal sex steroidogenic responses to tropic hormones. A significant degree of GH resistance exists in HA patients. This GH resistance may be related to an ovulatory disturbance.
Takeuchi
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Branch Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Kawana
T
T
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D013006:Growth Hormone