Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist testing of pituitary-gonadal function.
The development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists has provided a unique means to functionally assess the pituitary-gonadal axis in both males and females. These agonists, when given in a dose sufficient to stimulate the gonadotropes and induce a gonadal steroid response, have provided insights into normal reproductive physiology, hyperandrogenic conditions such as the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and disorders of pubertal development. This review provides an overview of the use of such agonists as probes of the functional status of the pituitary-gonadal axis in both normal and abnormal reproductive states.
Ehrmann
D A
DA
University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Rosenfield
R L
RL