Reference intervals for reproductive hormones in prepubertal children on the automated Roche cobas e 411 analyzer.
OBJECTIVE
To establish reference intervals for luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), total and free testosterone (T) and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in prepubertal children and to assess age- and gender-related differences.


METHODS
A total of 948 subjects, 480 girls and 468 boys, between 1 and 11 years of age, were included in this study. All assays were performed on a Roche cobas e 411 immunoassay analyzer. Reference intervals have been evaluated according to the most recent CLSI guidelines.


RESULTS
Median values of LH, FSH and T were significantly higher in subgroups ranging from ≥ 8 to < 11 years, for both genders. In girls of that age, reference values of E2 were significantly higher than in younger ones, and in boys of the corresponding age.


CONCLUSIONS
Established reference intervals are applicable to other laboratories that use the same instrumentation.
Laboratory of Endocrinology, Clinics of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Vinogradska 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Ivana
I
Zec
Ivana
I
Kučak
Ilijana
I
Begčević
Ana-Maria
AM
Simundić
Dubravka
D
Tišlarić-Medenjak
Zeljka Bukovec
ZB
Megla
Nada
N
Vrkić
D000367:Age Factors; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D057230:Limit of Detection; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011627:Puberty; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone