Altersabhängige Serumkonzentrationen von Inhibin A, Inhibin B und Aktivin A bei jüngeren und älteren fertilen Frauen

Zusammenfassung

Fragestellung

Ziel der vorliegenden prospektiven Studie war es zu überprüfen, ob es einen altersabhängigen Effekt bezüglich der Serumkonzentrationen von Inhibin A, Inhibin B sowie Aktivin A zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten des Menstruationszyklus bei jüngeren und älteren fertilen Frauen gibt. Die Serumkonzentrationen von Inhibin A, Inhibin B und Aktivin A wurden mit den LH-, FSH-, Östradiol- und Progesteronkonzentrationen verglichen.

Patientinnen und Methodik

52 gesunde Frauen mit regelmäßigem Menstruationszyklus im Alter von 18 - 45 Jahren wurden im Rahmen der Studie untersucht. Gruppe I bestand aus 28 Frauen (medianes Alter: 23,6 Jahre) und Gruppe II bestand aus 24 Frauen (medianes Alter: 39,4 Jahre). Es wurde am 3., 8. und 22. Zyklustag Inhibin A, Inhibin B, Aktivin A, FSH, LH, Östradiol sowie Progesteron bestimmt.

Ergebnisse

Es lag ein statistisch auffälliger Unterschied in Bezug auf die FSH-Konzentrationen in beiden Studiengruppen vor (p-Wert < 0,05). LH, Östradiol, Progesteron und Aktivin A zeigten keine statistisch auffälligen Konzentrationsänderungen. Die Serumkonzentrationen von Inhibin A und Inhibin B waren bei den älteren fertilen Frauen statistisch auffällig tiefer als bei den jüngeren fertilen Frauen (p-Wert < 0,05).

Schlussfolgerung

Aus unseren Daten lässt sich über die endokrine Rolle von Aktivin A keine eindeutige Aussage ableiten. Im Gegensatz dazu können die reduzierten Serumkonzentrationen von Inhibin A und Inhibin B bei älteren fertilen Frauen als biologischer Frühmarker der nachlassenden ovariellen Aktivität interpretiert werden.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the age-related effect on the cyclical patterns of serum inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A in younger and elder fertile women and to compare them with concentrations of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone.

Patients and Methods

52 healthy women aged 18 - 45 years experiencing regular cycles participated in the study. Group I consisted of 28 women (median age: 23.6 years), group II consisted of 24 women (median age: 39.4 years). Serum inhibin A, inhibin B, activin A, LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone were measured on day 3, 8 and 22 of the cycle.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in the concentration of FSH in both groups (p-value < 0.05). The concentrations of LH, estradiol, progesterone and activin A did not change significantly between the younger and elder fertile women. The serum concentrations of inhibin A, inhibin B in the elder fertile women were significantly lower than those in the younger fertile women (p-value < 0.05).

Conclusion

Activin A appears to play a unclear role in characterizing ovarian activity. In contrast, the decreased patterns of circulating inhibin A and inhibin B concentrations in elder fertile women observed during the menstrual cycle suggest that these hormones are early biological markers of the decline in ovarian activity.

Schlüsselwörter

Inhibin A - Inhibin B - Aktivin A - altersabhängige Serumkonzentration - ovarielle Aktivität

Key words

Inhibin A - inhibin B - activin A - age-related serum concentration - ovarian activity

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