Low levels of serum inhibin A and inhibin B in women with hypergonadotropic amenorrhea and evidence of high levels of activin A in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea.
OBJECTIVE
To examine serum levels of inhibin A, inhibin B, and activin A in women with secondary hypergonadotropic or hypothalamic amenorrhea.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Universities of Udine, Pisa, and Modena in Italy, and of Wien in Austria.


METHODS
Forty women with idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF), 23 women with hypogonadotropic hypothalamic amenorrhea, 40 healthy postmenopausal women, and 40 age-matched women with normal ovarian function (controls).


METHODS
Blood samples were collected between 8 and 9 AM.


METHODS
Serum levels of inhibin A, inhibin B, and activin A.


RESULTS
Women with POF had lower concentrations of serum inhibin A and inhibin B than women with hypothalamic amenorrhea and fertile controls, and the difference between these concentrations was statistically significant. Levels of inhibin A and inhibin B were low in postmenopausal women and were no different than in women with POF. Serum levels of activin A were not significantly different among women with POF, fertile controls, and postmenopausal women. Women with hypogonadotropic hypothalamic amenorrhea had higher activin A values than did controls. No significant correlation was found between the level of inhibin A or inhibin B and the length of amenorrhea or the level of FSH.


CONCLUSIONS
Low levels of circulating inhibins A and B, but not activin A, reflect ovarian failure in women with POF, whereas women with hypogonadotropic hypothalamic amenorrhea have normal levels of inhibins A and B and high levels of activin A.
Petraglia
F
F
University of Udine, Italy. felicepetraglia@dsc.uniud.it
Hartmann
B
B
Luisi
S
S
Florio
P
P
Kirchengast
S
S
Santuz
M
M
Genazzani
A D
AD
Genazzani
A R
AR
D028341:Activins; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D020033:Protein Isoforms; D028341:Activins; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone