Abstract
The diurnal pattern of plasma LH and FSH in PP of diverse etiology is of both theoretical and practical interest. Plasma LH and FSH levels were measured hourly by radioimmunoassay in 2 boys with PP due to Leydig cell tumor, 1 girl with precocious menstruation due to ovarian tumor, 1 girl with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) prior to cortisone therapy, 1 boy with idiopathic isosexual precocity and 3 normal prepubertal children. Bone age was below 11 years in all studied subjects. In idiopathic PP FSH and LH levels, and especially secretory spikes were as expected for the stage of puberty with peak values of 17 and 8.8 mIU/ml respectively. In the 3 cases of “neoplastic” PP and in the girl with CAH peak FSH values were 1.7, 1.7, 1.4, 2 mIU/ml and peak LH values were 1.4, 2, 1, 1.7 mIU/ml respectively. The values were slightly lower than those found in the 3 prepubertal children.
The findings suggest that gonadotrophins levels are low in “peripheral” PP and they may contribute to the differential diagnosis of PP, provided bone age is below 11 yrs.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dacou-Voutetakis, C., Moschona, M., Constantinidis, M. et al. THE 24-HOUR VARIATION OF PLASMA LH AND FSH IN PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY (PP). Pediatr Res 9, 668 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00021
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00021