PITUITARY LH AND FSH SECRETION AND RESPONSIVENESS IN WOMEN OF OLD AGE

Autor: Scaglia, Hugo, Medina, Martha, Pinto-Ferreira, Ada L., Vazques, Guadalupe, Gual, Carlos, Perez-Palacios, Gregorio
Zdroj: European Journal of Endocrinology; March 1976, Vol. 81 Issue: 3 p673-679, 7p
Abstrakt: The plasma concentrations and episodic fluctuations of immunoreactive FSH and LH as well as the pituitary sensitivity to LH-RH stimulation were evaluated in post-menopausal women. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to age. Group 1: 60–70 years old (n=11), group 2: 70–80 years old (n=22), group 3: 80–90 years old (n=31) and group 4: 90–100 years old (n=8). Standards used in gonadotrophin radioimmunoassays included the LER-907 preparation and a pooled post-menopausal serum. Since it was found that circulating gonadotrophins have an immunological pattern different from that shown by the pituitary preparation, the results were expressed in mIU/ml calculated accordingly to the immunological behaviour of pooled post-menopausal sera. The mean (± se) plasma levels of FSH (mIU/ml) were: group 1: 105.9 ± 9.5, group 2: 149.3 ± 10.5, group 3: 124.8 ± 7.1 and group 4: 149.4 ± 25.3. The mean (± se) plasma levels of LH (mIU/ml) were: group 1: 81.9 ± 12.5, group 2: 95.4 ± 9.9, group 3: 84.3 ± 7.7 and group 4: 113.5 ± 19.1. No statistically significant differences were observed among the 4 groups. One patient from each group was randomly selected in order to evaluate their LH and FSH episodic release as well as their pituitary responsiveness to exogenous stimulation. A pulsatile plasma pattern of gonadotrophin and a normal pituitary response to LH-RH injection were observed in the 4 patients studied. The results are interpreted as demonstrating that normal pituitary gonadotrophin function and pituitary reserve and responsiveness to exogenous stimulation are maintained in women of advanced age.
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