FSH AND LH RESPONSE TO LUTEINIZING HORMONE-RELEASING FACTOR IN PREPUBERTAL AND PUBERTAL CHILDREN, ADULT MALES AND PATIENTS WITH HYPOGONADOTROPIC AND HYPERGONADOTROPIC HYPOGONADISM

Abstract

The effect of puberty and hyper- and hypogonadotropism on the pituitary responsiveness to the intravenous injection of 5 μg/m² to 600 μg of synthetic luteinizing hormone releasing factor (LRF) was studied in 32 subjects. Sixteen subjects were prepubertal (2–13 years), 5 were pubertal (12–18 years), 6 were adult males, 3 had hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and 2 had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia. We conclude from our data that: 1) LRF releases comparable amounts of FSH in prepubertal, pubertal, and adult subjects. LH release, however, is minimal in prepubertal children and increases strikingly at puberty; 2) LRF releases relatively more-LH and FSH in hypergonadotropic patients than in adult males; 3) LRF deficiency due to a selective hypothalamic defect is the origin of isolated FSH and LH deficiency in at least some patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism; and U) the magnitude of LH and possibly FSH release induced by LRF appears to be affected by the degree of prior exposure of the anterior hypophysis to LRF.