Appraising endocrine pulse signals at low circulating hormone concentrations: use of regional coefficients of variation in the experimental series to analyze pulsatile luteinizing hormone release

Pediatr Res. 1986 Jul;20(7):632-7. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198607000-00011.

Abstract

We have developed a regional dual-threshold method for detecting endocrine pulses at variably low hormone concentrations such as those that occur in the pediatric age group. This algorithm uses the local intra-series coefficient of variation to test for a significant increase and decrease (peak or pulse) in the experimental series. The method is unique in combining the following considerations: 1) use of internal measurement error present in the actual sample replicates (rather than that estimated from external standards); 2) an ability to accommodate a wide range of nonuniformity in intraassay coefficients of variation; 3) utilization of both upstroke and downstroke threshold criteria; and 4) adaptability to specify a physiologically relevant proximity of the postpeak nadir to the center of the peak. We have validated the behavior of this method in relation to false-positive rates for various program parameters and have illustrated the application of this new regional dual-threshold method to luteinizing hormone pulse detection in pubertal boys who have relative hypogonadotropism, which renders reliable luteinizing hormone pulse detection particularly difficult.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Luteinizing Hormone / blood
  • Luteinizing Hormone / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Puberty

Substances

  • Luteinizing Hormone