Abstract
We have examined changes in the pulsatile pattern of LH secretion that occur during childhood and puberty, using spectral analysis and a novel distribution method. 24 hour profiles of LH concentration were taken from 78 children aged 4.2-15.6yrs and 6 adult men. Relative Fourier transforms were derived, and a normalised estimate of the concentration below which each profile spent 5%(OC5), 50%(OC50) and 95%(OC95) of the total time of the profile was calculated. In children aged 4.2-9.8yrs, LH periodicity was 140-200 minutes. The OC5 in children aged 4.2-6.9yrs was greater (P=0.05) than in children aged 7.1-9.8yrs. In prepubertal children aged 10.1-14.8yrs, LH periodicity decreased to 100-120 mins (p≤.0.025), and OC50 and OC95 values increased (p=0.01, 0.003). LH periodicity in puberty was 120-160 minutes. In early puberty girls had greater OC5, OC50 and OC95 (p=0.001) and boys had greater OC95 (p=0.04), compared to prepubertal children. In late puberty OC values did not change for girls but OC5 and OC95 were greater for boys (p = 0.001) compared with early puberty. OC values for both sexes in late puberty did not differ from the adult men.
CONCLUSIONS The decrease in LH secretion that occurs after the neonatal period continues as late as 4 years of age. Before the onset of puberty there was an increase in pulse frequency with an increase in peak but not baseline LH values. A mature pattern of LH secretion with elevated peak and baseline values was attained in early puberty in girls, but later in boys. This pattern may be important for fertility, and is the first time that sexual dimorphism has been described in the control of the onset of puberty.
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Brook, C., Bridges, N., Matthews, D. et al. SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC CHANGES IN LH SECRETION DURING CHILDHOOD AND PUBERTY. Pediatr Res 33 (Suppl 5), S27 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00141
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00141