title: Reproducibility of luteinizing hormone hypersecretion in different phases of the menstrual cycle in polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the reproducibility of an elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) level or elevated LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio in different phases of the menstrual cycle in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Furthermore, we evaluated the influence of cycle days and body mass index on LH levels using different days from menses or withdrawal bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three patients with PCOS and 37 controls were enrolled. All patients with PCOS had elevated LH levels and LH/FSH ratio, polycystic ovarian morphology and chronic anovulation at diagnosis. After their diagnoses, we measured serum LH and FSH in the early period and/or late period of the follicular phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of patients with elevated LH levels and LH/FSH ratio were significantly higher in the late phase than in the early phase in PCOS. In the early phase, only 52% of patients had elevated LH levels and LH/FSH ratio. We failed to demonstrate an inverse relationship between the LH level and BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LH levels of patients with PCOS were strongly influenced by the days from menses or withdrawal bleeding. In the early period, the reproducibility of elevated LH levels or LH/FSH ratio was poor even in patients previously diagnosed with them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan. takeshi1@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Fumi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone