title: Clinical uses of anti-Müllerian hormone assays: pitfalls and promises.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the controversy about fluctuations of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels during the menstrual cycle results from differences between the immunoassays currently available: the Beckman Coulter Immunotech kit (Fullerton, CA) and the Diagnostic Systems Laboratories kit (Webster, TX).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertility clinics of two tertiary university hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixty-eight blood samples from three different populations. Serial samples at set intervals from the LH surge were taken in a fourth population of 10 volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We remeasured AMH levels by using the Diagnostic Systems Laboratories kit in 168 blood samples in which AMH initially had been measured by using the Beckman Coulter assay. We also conducted serial AMH measurements (n = 7) during the menstrual cycle of 10 women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linear regression of AMH levels determined by using 2 different assays and analysis of variance of serial measurements in the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a linear relationship between the 2 methods, with a correlation coefficient of 0.88. When repeated individual AMH measures were longitudinally analyzed in relation to the LH surge, a slight but significant decrease was observed after ovulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in AMH fluctuations during the menstrual cycle reported in recent publications do not result from the use of different AMH assays. The changes in AMH levels after ovulation are slight, yet statistically significant. However, the fluctuations observed are smaller than intercycle variability and therefore are not clinically relevant as far as AMH measurements for clinical purposes are concerned. In daily practice, AMH therefore can be measured anytime during the menstrual cycle.
authors.affiliation: Joint Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Streuli
authors.forename: Timothee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fraisse
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chapron
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bijaoui
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Ziegler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone