Objective: To evaluate the influence of short-term estriol administration (10 d) on the hypothalamus-pituitary function and gonadotropins secretion in patients affected by functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA).
Study design: Controlled clinical study on patients with FHA (n = 12) in a clinical research environment.
Intervention(s): Hormonal determinations and gonadotropin (luteinizing hormone [LH] and FSH) response to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) bolus (10 μg) at baseline condition and after 10 d of therapy with 2 mg/d of estriol per os.
Main outcome measure(s): Measurements of plasma LH, FSH, prolactin, estradiol, androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, insulin, cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine.
Result(s): After treatment, the FHA patients showed a statistically significant increase of both LH and FSH plasma levels and the significant increase of their responses to the GnRH bolus.
Conclusion(s): Estriol short-term therapy modulates within 10 d of administration the neuroendocrine control of the hypothalamus-pituitary unit and induces the recovery of both gonadotropins synthesis and secretion in hypogonadotropic patients with FHA.
Keywords: Estriol; GnRH-stimulating test; functional hypothalamic amenorrhea; hypothalamic function.