Urinary follicle-stimulating hormone excretion in boys and adult males as measured by radioimmunoassay.

Abstract

Using a specific radioimmunoassay for FSH and applying the technique of alcohol precipitation of gonadotropins from urine, it was possible to measure immunologically reactive FSH in the urine of all male children tested (5 yr of age and older). The urine of female children was not evaluated. A significant increase in FSH excretion was noted for the 12–13 yr age group (5.7 IU of 2nd IRP-HMG ±a sd of 2.8 IU/24 hr), as compared to younger children (2.0 IU±1.1). The mean excretion increased progressively by age groups and was 8.5 IU ±3.6 for adult males. When a stage of sex development (1–5) was assigned to each boy and compared with the FSH excretion, it was observed that the mean FSH excretions for boys in stages 3, 4 and 5 were not significantly different from each other or from the excretion value found for adult males. However, these values were significantly different than the mean values for boys in stage 2 of sexual development, which was also significantly different from the mean excretion for boys in stage 1. There was some overlap between individual values, however, for all stages of sexual development. Therefore, interpretation of individual results must be made with caution. The correlation between the values for immunologically reactive FSH and biologically active FSH in these urines is unknown, as these urines were not assayed for FSH biological activity.