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Luteinizing and Follicle‐Stimulating Hormone Pulsatile Variability in Postmenopausal Women

It is generally accepted that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the only hypothalamic factor controlling the secretion of both LH and FSH. The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of LH and FSH pulses in menopausal women with the premise that a high degree of coincidence between LH and FSH pulses will indicate that the pulsatility of both hormones is controlled by a similar mechanism. Twelve hypergonadotropic hypogonadal women participated in this study; they had a mean ( 2 SEM) age of 51.5 +3.6 years, weight of 65.8 2 4.3 kg, and 6.2 k 3.9 years since the onset of menopause. They were admitted to the Clinical Research Center at 8:OO A.M. and blood was continuously withdrawn with a withdrawal pump into 3-ml aliquots at 3-minute intervals for a total of 3 hours. Concurrently, peripheral temperature was continuously measured by means of a thermistor mounted on the first finger. All samples were individually analyzed for LH and FSH. Plasma, E2, El, testosterone (T), free T, DHEA and Adione were measured in pooled plasma samples. LH and FSH pulse was analyzed using a newly developed computerized program. Coincidence of FSH and LH was defined by the occurrence of a pulse within 12 minutes of each other. A total of 66 pulses of FSH (1.7 per hour) and 42 LH (1.1 per hour) were detected. There was 86% coincidence between plasma LH pulses and peripheral temperature elevation. Further examination of the data revealed that the patterns of LH and FSH secretion were different. FSH pulses followed a single pattern, while two distinct patterns of L H pulses were evident (FIG. 1). There was a lowfrequency-high-amplitude (LF-HA) group (n = 6) and a high-frequency-lowamplitude (HF-LA) group (n = 6). No difference in age, weight, or years of menopause was found between these two groups of patients. The LF-HA group had a 30% and the HF-LA group had a 42% coincidence between LH and FSH pulses. Furthermore, plasma El, T and free T were higher in the LF-HA group (p < 0.05, TABLE 1). No difference in FSH pulse characteristics was detected between these two groups. It is clear from the results of this study that during the menopause the pulsatile pattern and pulse characteristics of plasma LH and FSH are significantly different. The secretion of FSH pulses is about 55% faster than that of LH, resulting in a shorter mean pulse duration (p < 0.05) and interpulse interval (p < 0.05), but with similar pulse amplitude. These data can therefore explain the findings of only 40% coincidence between LH and FSH pulses. However, there was an 86% coincidence between L H pulses and peripheral temperature elevations, indicating the relationship between those two variables. Thus, the original premise cannot be substantiated. It is then possible to sug-