Evaluation of the gonadotropic responsiveness of the pituitary to acute and prolonged administration of LH/FSH-releasing hormone (lhrh) in untreated patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

The pituitary gonadotropic responsiveness to acute and prolonged administration of LH/FSH-releasing hormone (LHRH) were assessed in 6 patients with untreated congenital virilizing adrenal hyperplasia (partial 21-hydroxylase deficiency). The oldest subjects had normal response in comparison to females at the midfollicular phase, to the acute infusion of 25 ug LHRH regarding both gonadotropins whereas LH secretory area was decreased during the prolonged (100 ug LHRH in 8 hours) infusion with normal FSH secretion. The two youngest subjects, with higher steroid levels in our series, were either unresponsive on both ways of testing or presented pre-pubertal response.