title: The clinical usefulness of salivary progesterone measurement for the evaluation of the corpus luteum function.
abstract: The present study was designed to construct reliable daily salivary progesterone profiles throughout the luteal phase to accurately evaluate the corpus luteum function. Furthermore, we investigated the clinical relevance of a simple midluteal salivary progesterone estimation for the diagnosis of luteal phase insufficiency by determining the diagnostic efficiency and cutoff values. A total of 121 women were divided into 3 groups; normal luteal function, luteal phase insufficiency and unclassified group, based on basal body temperature recordings and serum progesterone levels at 3 sampling points during the midluteal phase. Salivary progesterone values across the luteal phase of the normal luteal function group were significantly increased from day 1 to day 4, remained constant from day 5 to day 9 (mean +/- SD, 318 +/- 170 pmol/l on day 5, 287 +/- 169 pmol/l on day 9; urinary LH surge = day 0) and decreased thereafter. Salivary progesterone concentrations in the luteal phase insufficiency group showed significantly lower values compared with those in the normal group between days 3 and 10. The cutoff values of 189 pmol/l in the midluteal phase yielded a sensitivity of 78.0% and a specificity of 76.5%. Our results suggest that daily salivary progesterone profiles during the luteal phase and a simple estimation of midluteal salivary progesterone appeared to be useful for the diagnosis of luteal phase defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Mutsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sengoku
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamate
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takaoka
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Patrick F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Fottrell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone