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Published online February 29, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 3 March 2008, pp. e574-e580 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1327)
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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, 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.


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