[Disorders of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-ovarian axis in chronic alcoholic women].

This paper deals with the physiology of menstrual cycle disturbances in alcoholic women. Nineteen women, aged from 25 to 45 years, were investigated for the quality of their menstrual cycle (amenorrhoea in 6, spanomenorrhoea in 5, normal cycle in 8) and for their clinical, biochemical and, when possible, histological hepatic status. In all these women, hormone levels were measured (in the early follicular phase for those with normal menses), including E2, E1, LHRH test, T, delta 4A, SBG, T4L, T3L, cortisol and prolactin. According to their hormonal profile, these women were classified as hypothalamo-pituitary amenorrhoea (n = 4), premature menopause (n = 2), ovarian dystrophy (n = 1) and normal hormone levels (n = 12). Although our results are too few for statistic value, it appears that the amount of alcohol consumed, the degree of malnutrition and the hepatic abnormalities observed are more important in women with abnormal hormonal profile.