Escobar ME, Ropelato MG, Ballerini MG, Gryngarten MG, Rudaz MCG, Veldhuis JD, Barontini M. Acceleration of luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in adolescent girls with a history of central precocious puberty with versus without hyperandrogenism.
HORMONE RESEARCH 2007;
68:278-85. [PMID:
17587857 DOI:
10.1159/000104177]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2006] [Accepted: 03/16/2007] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED
Some adolescents with a history of idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) develop hyperandrogenism.
HYPOTHESIS
Luteinizing hormone (LH) hypersecretion could be a common mechanism underlying ICPP and polycystic ovary syndrome.
AIM
To explore the GnRH-LH axis in those patients.
DESIGN
To compare overnight LH secretion in 7 healthy adolescents (CG) with that in patients with prior ICPP [5 with (CPPA) and 7 without (CPPB) hyperandrogenism]. To analyze daytime LH secretion in those patients.
METHODS
LH secretion was quantified by immunofluorometry and deconvolution analysis.
RESULTS
Nighttime mean LH (international units/liter) was higher in CPPA (6.9 +/- 1.5) than in CPPB (3.2 +/- 0.4, p < 0.05) and CG (2.9 +/- 0.4, p < 0.01). Deconvolution analysis revealed a greater nighttime LH frequency (pulses/hour) both in CPPA (0.91 +/- 0.06, p < 0.01) and CPPB (0.74 +/- 0.02, p < 0.05) than in CG (0.45 +/- 0.07). CPPA patients maintained a higher frequency than CPPB. Pulsatile LH production was greater in CPPA than in CG (50 +/- 12 vs. 18 +/- 3 IU/l/day, p < 0.01). Daytime mass of LH released per burst and pulsatile production rate were significantly greater in CPPA than in CPPB patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Hyperandrogenic adolescents with prior ICPP show increased pulsatile LH secretion. Augmentation of LH pulsatility may predispose to or cause hyperandrogenism in some adolescents with a history of precocious puberty.
Collapse