title: Analysis of testosterone pulsatility in women with ovulatory menstrual cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the pattern of the pulsatile secretion of testosterone in normal menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight healthy women with ovulatory menstrual cycles were enrolled. Blood samples were collected at ten-minute intervals for six hours, starting between 7 and 8 am, after a ten-hour fasting, in three phases: mid-follicular (Day 7), late follicular (Day 12) and mid-luteal phase (Day 21). Samples were assayed for testosterone, LH and the baseline also for SHBG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Testosterone pulse frequency, mean amplitude pulse, percentage of increment in pulse amplitude, mean duration of pulses and pulse interval were similar in the three phases. LH pulsatility was statistically different among the three phases (p < 0.001) representing normal ovulatory cycles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data increase the knowledge about the testosterone secretion profile in the human menstrual cycle and can be used as a contribution to clinical investigation in both hyperandrogenism and androgen insufficiency syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil. josivanlima@gmail.com
authors.forename: Lucia H C
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Josivan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Rui A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferriani
authors.forename: Poli Mara
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Spritzer
authors.forename: Marcos F S
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.forename: Técia M O
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Maranhão
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D010507:Periodicity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone