title: Estriol administration modulates luteinizing hormone secretion in women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of estriol administration on the hypothalamus-pituitary function and gonadotropins secretion in patients affected by functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with FHA in a clinical research environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve hypogonadotropic patients affected by FHA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pulsatility study of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) test (10 μg in bolus) at baseline condition and after 8 weeks of therapy with 2 mg/day of estriol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of plasma LH, FSH, estradiol (E(2)), androstenedione (A), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), cortisol, androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT(3)), free thyroxine (fT(4)), and insulin, and pulse detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment, the FHA patients showed a statistically significant increase of LH plasma levels (from 0.7 ± 0.1 mIU/mL to 3.5 ± 0.3 mIU/mL) and a statistically significant increase of LH pulse amplitude with no changes in LH pulse frequency. In addition, the LH response to the GnRH bolus was a statistically significant increase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estriol administration induced the increase of LH plasma levels in FHA and improved GnRH-induced LH secretion. These findings suggest that estriol administration modulates the neuroendocrine control of the hypothalamus-pituitary unit and induces the recovery of LH synthesis and secretion in hypogonadotropic patients with FHA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. algen@unimo.it
authors.forename: Alessandro D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Genazzani
authors.forename: Blazej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meczekalski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Podfigurna-Stopa
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santagni
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rattighieri
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricchieri
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chierchia
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simoncini
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004964:Estriol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007558:Italy; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D007328:Insulin; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D004964:Estriol; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone