Pulsatile Secretion of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

To the Editor: In their recent article (Dec. 31 issue), 1 Odell and Griffin describe the apparent pulsatile secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in postmenopausal women and a midcycle ovulatory peak of hCG during the normal menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. The changes in serum hCG concentrations paralleled those in the concentrations of human luteinizing hormone (hLH). These findings raise a question about what the authors are actually measuring. The serum half-life of endogenous hCG after delivery, therapeutic abortion, or an injection of hCG fits an exponential curve with a fast component of 5 to 6 hours and a slow . . . No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.