1. Suppression of gonadotropin secretion in the hospitalized postmenopausal female as an effect of acute critical illness
- Author
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Joast Naert, W. Van Steenbergen, Emmanuel Lesaffre, I Scheys, Sophie Lambrecht, and Walter Pelemans
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.drug_class ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Critical Illness ,Thyrotropin ,Physical examination ,Blood Sedimentation ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Follicle-stimulating hormone ,Endocrinology ,Internal medicine ,Medicine ,Humans ,Prospective Studies ,Prospective cohort study ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Endocrine and Autonomic Systems ,business.industry ,Osmolar Concentration ,Luteinizing Hormone ,medicine.disease ,Gonadotropin secretion ,Menopause ,Hospitalization ,Postmenopause ,Critical illness ,Acute Disease ,Female ,Gonadotropin ,Follicle Stimulating Hormone ,business ,Luteinizing hormone - Abstract
Plasma gonadotropins were measured in 126 postmenopausal women (age range 69-90 years) admitted to a geriatric ward. After clinical examination, patients were classified as 'acutely or severely ill' or as 'not ill'. Plasma gonadotropins were compared between both groups. Logistic regression was used to select clinical and/or biochemical parameters which differentiated patients with abnormal, low gonadotropins from patients with high gonadotropin concentrations. Plasma gonadotropins were significantly lower in the 'acutely or severely ill' than in the 'healthy' patient group. By logistic regression, blood sedimentation rate, total protein concentration, and serum thyrotropin concentration were significantly correlated with low gonadotropins. Linear regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship between plasma gonadotropins and age (at least for ages over 80 years), blood sedimentation rate (at values more than 65 mm) and total protein concentration. Marked suppression of plasma gonadotropins was frequently found to occur in acutely ill postmenopausal women, in relation to biochemical parameters of acute illness such as blood sedimentation rate, total protein concentration, and serum thyrotropin. In addition, ageing per se seems characterized by a progressive attenuation of the high postmenopausal gonadotropin levels.
- Published
- 1994