Influence of major surgical stress on plasma testosterone, plasma LH and urinary steroids

Plasma testosterone levels were determined in 42 male patients both before 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks following pulmonary lobectomy. The plasma LH was measured in 13 of the 42 patients. There was a significant fall in the plasma levels of testosterone 1, 2 and 3 weeks after the pulmonary lobectomy but the levels returned to the control values from the fourth post-operative week onward. On the other hand, the level of plasma LH increased significantly one week after the operation when the plasma testosterone showed the most marked decrease.

The urinary 17-KS and 17-OHCS were measured in 27 of the 42 male patients, both before and 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the operation. The total 17-KS was found to be significantly decreased 1, 4 and 8 weeks after the operation. The post-operative decrease resulted from a significant decrease in the excretion of C19O2-17-KS on the seventh postoperative day but thereafter the decrease mainly resulted from a decrease in C19O3-17-KS.

It is suggested that testosterone secretion from the testes seems to decrease for 3 weeks after major surgery. The decrease in the excretion of 17-KS observed after this post-operative period is caused by a decrease in the excretion of metabolites from adrenal androgens.

Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in serum during the menstrual cycle determined by radioimmunosassay

The serum levels of FSH and LH were determined in 11 normal menstrual cycles by radioimmunoassay. The results of LH assay demonstrated a consistent pattern with a sharp 3 to 4 fold increase occurring on the average 13.9 days before the next menses. The changes in FSH levels during the cycle were neither as marked nor as consistent. Three distinct patterns seemed to emerge. However, the mean levels of FSH from the 11 cycles demonstrated a significant high level 12 days before, a low level 1 day before and another rise 1 day after the midcycle peak of LH.