Published online February 29, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 3 March 2008, pp. e574-e580 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1327)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Greaves, R. F.
Right arrow Articles by Zacharin, M. R.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Greaves, R. F.
Right arrow Articles by Zacharin, M. R.
Related Collections
Right arrow Premature & Newborn

ARTICLE

Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Levels in Extreme Prematurity: Development of Reference Intervals

Ronda F. Greaves, BSc, MAACB, MappSca, Rodney W. Hunt, FRACP, MMedb, Angela S. Chiriano, BScc and Margaret R. Zacharin, MBBS, FRACPd

a Departments of Complex Biochemistry
b Neonatal Medicine
c Core Laboratory
d Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia

OBJECTIVES. Establishing pediatric reference intervals has always been challenging, with most ranges used in pediatric laboratories developed over many years. The clinical interpretation of gonadotropins is important in the context of ambiguous genitalia. The aim of this study was to develop reference intervals for luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in infants born between 24 and 29 weeks’ gestation.

METHODS. Samples were collected at 0 to 43 days after birth from 82 premature infants born <30 weeks’ gestation for analysis of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone by automated immunochemiluminometric immunoassays.

RESULTS. The 43 male infants demonstrated a range of luteinizing hormone levels from 0.1 to 13.4 IU/L and of follicle-stimulating hormone levels from 0.3 to 4.6 IU/L. The 39 female infants demonstrated a range of luteinizing hormone levels from 0.2 to 54.4 IU/L and of follicle-stimulating hormone levels from 1.2 to 167.0 IU/L. The ratio of luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone levels differed with males, ranging from 0.3 to 9.4, and females, at <0.5.

CONCLUSION. These data provide guidance for the interpretation of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels for the first 6 weeks of life in extremely premature infants born between 24 and 29 weeks’ gestation. The availability of age-appropriate reference intervals is essential for correct and timely interpretation of biochemical results to the clinician.

Key Words: extremely premature infants • follicle-stimulating hormone • luteinizing hormone • reference range

Abbreviations: LH—luteinizing hormone • FSH—follicle-stimulating hormone • hCG—human chorionic gonadotropin • CV—coefficient of variation

Accepted Aug 13, 2007.