title: Peripubertal changes in circulating antimüllerian hormone levels in girls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify correlates and longitudinal changes in circulating antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels as a marker of ovarian primordial follicle recruitment in normal peripubertal girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study using mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unselected girls assessed at ages 7-11 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  AMH, inhibin B, and FSH levels were analyzed in blood samples collected at ages 7, 9, and 11 years for longitudinal analyses and at age 8 years for cross-sectional analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the cross-sectional analysis, AMH levels at age 8 years were lower in pubertal girls (median 25.0 pmol/L, interquartile range [IQR] 16.0-33.9; n = 39) than in prepubertal girls (33.5 pmol/L, IQR 22.3-49.1; n = 342). In prepubertal girls, higher AMH levels were associated with higher inhibin B levels, lower FSH levels, and larger body mass index at age 8 years and subsequently with later age at menarche. AMH levels were unrelated to birth weight or birth length. In the longitudinal analysis, AMH levels increased between ages 7 (median 27.0 pmol/L, IQR 19.2-34) and 9 years (32.0 pmol/L, IQR 26.5-42.7), then declined between 9 and 11 years (26.5 pmol/L, IQR 19-42.25) with high intraindividual correlation in AMH levels between ages 7 and 9 years and 7 and 11 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of circulating AMH and inhibin B levels suggests that the rate of ovarian primordial follicle recruitment increases in the prepubertal years then declines again following the onset of puberty as follicular activity pattern changes.
authors: Reproductive and Developmental Medicine Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. h.lashen@sheffield.ac.uk
authors: Hany
authors: H
authors: Lashen
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Dunger
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Ness
authors: Ken K
authors: KK
authors: Ong
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D006080:Ovarian Follicle; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; C422364:inhibin B; D007265:Inhibins; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone