Abstract
The onset of puberty is associated with an increase in LH and FSH secretion. A 2- to 6- fold increase in gonadotropin levels has been shown using RIA. with monoclonal antibody assays, greater changes in LH secretion have been observed. In order to document changes in gonadotropin secretion during childhood and puberty, serum basal levels or LH and FSH by IFMA (MDD;0.02 IU/L) and by RIA (MDD:1.0 10/L) were measured in normal children and adoloscents (28F, 29M). Serum LH and FSH basal levels (X±SD). In relationship to chronological age (years), sex and pubertal development (P) are shown in the Table.
In conclusion: During the first years of life serum LH levels were clearly higher in boys than in girls. However, we observed that serum FSH levels were significantly higher in females than in males after the onset of puberty. These sex differences could be due to the gonadoster, or to sexual differential secretion in the GnRH pulse generator. We found very low serum LH secretion (30- to 70-fold) at the onset of puberty. Serum FSH levels, clearly higher during the prepubertal period, did not change substantially during puberty, suggesting that the intrinsic CNS inhibitory mechanism which acts during childhood may be less effective on FSH than on LH secretion.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ropelato, M., Escobar, M., Gottlieb, S. et al. IMPROVED ASSAY SENSITIVITY FOR SERUM LH AND PSH IN NORMAL CHILDREN AND ADDOLESCENTS. Pediatr Res 38, 626 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199510000-00054
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199510000-00054