Open AccessDepressed Prolactin Levels in Diabetic women with anovulation
Author(s) -
Djursing Henning,
Nyholm Henrik Chr.,
Hagen Claus,
MølstedPedersen Lars
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348209156580
Subject(s) - anovulation , medicine , endocrinology , luteinizing hormone , prolactin , menstrual cycle , diabetes mellitus , amenorrhea , hormone , pregnancy , insulin resistance , polycystic ovary , biology , genetics
. The circulating levels of prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol‐17β were determined by radioimmunoassay in 76 normal healthy women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, 54 consecutive anovulatory non‐diabetic women and 20 consecutive diabetic women with anovulation. An elevated plasma PRL concentration was found in 1/20 (5%) of the diabetic women and in 17/54 (32%) of the non‐diabetic anovulatory women (p<0.05). Plasma concentrations of estradiol‐17β and gonadotropins in diabetics did not differ (p > 0.05) from those found in non‐diabetic women with anovulation. Diabetic women with secondary amen‐orrhea had significantly (p<0.05) lower plasma concentrations of PRL and estradiol‐17β than non‐diabetic women with amenorrhea and normal controls. Furthermore, this group of diabetic women had lower median plasma LH concentrations than the non‐diabetics with secondary amenorrhea and normal controls, but this difference was not significant (p>0.05). These data indicate that diabetic patients with anovulation have hypothalamic and/or pituitary defects. Furthermore, the low prolactin and LH levels despite a low estradiol‐17β concentration may suggest an increased hypothalamic dopamine activity in patients with diabetes mellitus and secondary amenorrhea.