Changes in reproductive hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin in a group of postmenopausal women measured over 10 years.
OBJECTIVE
As part of a study on hormones and bone density in older women, we measured a number of steroid and polypeptide hormones at 4- to 6-month intervals in 32 women over a 10-year period.


METHODS
All women were postmenopausal during this time and all measurements from 12 months after the menopause to the end were used in the analysis. To determine whether there was a significant trend in steroid or polypeptide hormones over the years, the data were analyzed by random coefficient linear regression against number of months since menopause.


RESULTS
There was no significant trend in the concentrations of estrone, estrone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone, and follicle stimulating hormone. There was a significant decline in the concentrations of estradiol, dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and luteinizing hormone. There was a rise in the levels of androstenedione and testosterone.


CONCLUSIONS
The changes in the concentration of sex hormone-binding globulin could be fitted to a quadratic equation with an initial rise in the concentration followed by a decline. Thus, the trend in hormone concentrations shows no set pattern with aging in the postmenopausal years.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Biostatistics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
M R
MR
Jiroutek
M H
MH
Chen
C C
CC
Johnston
C
C
Longcope
D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C017296:estrone sulfate