Urinary reproductive hormone level differences between African American and Caucasian women of reproductive age

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 78; no. 2; p. 383
• Main Authors: Reutman, Susan R, LeMasters, Grace Kawas, Kesner, James S, Shukla, Rakesh, Krieg, Jr, Edward F, Knecht, Edwin A, Lockey, James E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-08-2002
• Subjects: Adult; Black or African American; Black People; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Gonadal Steroid Hormones - urine; Gonadotropins - blood; Humans; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; White People
• ISSN: 0015-0282
• DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(02)03204-1

To compare urinary levels of reproductive hormones in African American and Caucasian women.
Cross-sectional study.
Ten United States Air Force (USAF) bases.
African American (n = 33) and Caucasian (n = 65) women of reproductive age from a larger study of USAF women (n = 170).
None.
Urinary endocrine end points: follicular luteinizing hormone (LH), preovulatory LH, level of LH surge peak, early follicular follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), follicular LH:FSH ratio, midluteal FSH, FSH rise before menses, early follicular estrone 3-glucuronide (E(1)3G), midfollicular E(1)3G, periovulatory E(1)3G peak, midluteal E(1)3G, early follicular pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G), follicular Pd3G, rate of periovulatory Pd3G increase, E(1)3G:Pd3G on the day of luteal transition, slope of E(1)3G:Pd3G, and midluteal Pd3G.
Relative to Caucasians, African American women had significantly lower follicular phase LH:FSH ratios (mean +/- SD: 0.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.6), lower follicular phase Pd3G levels (1.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.8 microg/mg creatinine), and lower rates of periovulatory Pd3G increase (0.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.0 +/- 1.2 microg/mg creatinine).
Findings of this analysis should be considered preliminary evidence of racial differences in hormone levels. Future studies are needed to determine whether these differences have clinical significance.