HORMONAL TREATMENTS MODULATE PULSATILE PLASMA GROWTH-HORMONE, GONADOTROPIN AND OSTEOCALCIN LEVELS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Oestrogen plays a role in modulating growth hormone (GH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and osteocalcin secre tion in women. Indeed, the postmenopausal period is characterized by c hanges in plasma GH, LH, FSH and osteocalcin levels. The aim of the pr esent study was to investigate the changes in the secretory patterns o f these hormones in postmenopausal women under different therapeutic r egimens. A total of 20 subjects took part in the study. They were subd ivided into four groups comprising 5 untreated postmenopausal women (t ime since menopause 1-5 years), 5 postmenopausal women receiving stero id hormone replacement therapy, 5 postmenopausal women receiving salmo n calcitonin and 5 fertile women with regular menstrual cycles. Blood samples were collected every 15 min for 4 h and hormone levels were me asured by radioimmunoassay. Plasma GH levels fell in the postmenopausa l women, but were restored under oestrogen-progestogen treatment. The pulsatile patterns of plasma LH and FSH did not show significant diffe rences in the treated and untreated women. Plasma osteocalcin levels s howed episodic fluctuations and mean levels decreased under steroid ho rmone or calcitonin treatment. No significant correlation was observed between plasma GH and osteocalcin or gonadotrophin levels or body mas s index.