Clinical evaluation of patients with weight loss-related amenorrhea: neuropeptide Y and luteinizing hormone pulsatility.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize patients with weight loss-related amenorrhea and controls with respect to the pulsatility of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and luteinizing hormone (LH).


METHODS
Nine young women (aged 20.23+/-2.11 years) diagnosed with weight loss-related amenorrhea (body mass index (BMI) 17.52+/-2.43 kg/m2) and five age-matched (age 21.88+/-3.12 years) normally menstruating (every 28-33 days) controls with normal BMI (23.62+/-3.11 kg/m2) (mean value+/-standard deviation).


METHODS
Basal hormonal evaluation included serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH, estradiol (E2) and NPY. A pulsatility study investigated NPY and LH episodic release. Patients from control the group were studied during the mid-follicular phase (days 6-8) of the menstrual cycle.


RESULTS
Patients with weight loss-related amenorrhea had lower FSH, LH and E2 levels than controls (p < 0.01). Basal serum NPY levels were lower in amenorrheic patients than in menstruating women (p < 0.01). The numbers of NPY and LH peaks were higher in patients with weigh loss-related amenorrhea than in controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased NPY pulsatility may have pathophysiological significance in weight loss-related hypothalamic amenorrhea.
Meczekalski
Blazej
B
Department of Gynecological Endocrinology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. blazejmeczekalski@yahoo.com
Genazzani
Andrea R
AR
Genazzani
Alessandro D
AD
Warenik-Szymankiewicz
Alina
A
Luisi
Michele
M
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood*; D010507:Periodicity; D015431:Weight Loss
D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone