title: Leuprolide acetate-stimulated androgen response during female puberty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A physiological increase in androgen levels occurs during adolescence. Measuring androgen concentrations is the best method to distinguish normal evolution processes from hyperandrogenic disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The increase in circulating androgens during puberty is inversely associated with insulin sensitivity in normal weight girls.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess circulating levels of ovarian androgens and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) at baseline and after GnRH analogue (GnRH-a) stimulation in normal pubertal girls across different Tanner stages. We also studied the association between this response and insulin sensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of healthy girls (6-12 years) from the local community (n = 63).
  
  
  METHODS
  Tanner I (n = 23) subjects were assessed cross-sectionally, and Tanner II girls (n = 40) were evaluated every 6 months until they reached Tanner V. Early morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S), AMH, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione, glucose and insulin levels were measured. A GnRH-a test (500 μg/m(2) ; sc) and oral glucose intolerance test (OGTT) were performed. Differences throughout puberty were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Basal and/or stimulated Testosterone DHEA-S and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) were inversely associated with insulin sensitivity (WIBSI) from the beginning of puberty, whereas androstenedione was directly associated with gonadotrophins. AMH was inversely associated with basal and stimulated gonadotrophins and directly with insulin area under the curve (AUC) only in the early stages of puberty. 17OHP and testosterone responsiveness increased significantly during puberty in all subjects, whereas testosterone levels changed less consistently. This pattern of ovarian-steroidogenic response was most evident during mid- and late puberty. Moreover, during late puberty only, basal 17OHP, testosterone and DHEA-S were positively associated with gonadotrophins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In normal nonobese girls born appropriate for gestational age, androgen synthesis was associated with insulin sensitivity in early puberty and with LH only in late puberty.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal and Child Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Paediatrics Division, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez-Aguayo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Chile and University of los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavada
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal and Child Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal and Child Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal and Child Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mericq
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000886:Anthropometry; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000737:chemistry*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide