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This version published online on March 4, 2008
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, doi:10.1210/jc.2007-2677
A more recent version of this article appeared on May 1, 2008
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Submitted on December 4, 2007
Accepted on February 27, 2008

24-h Serum Levels of Growth Hormone, Prolactin and Cortisol in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women. The effect of combined estrogen and progestin treatment

Nea Kalleinen MD*, Päivi Polo-Kantola MD, PhD, Kerttu Irjala MD, PhD, Tarja Porkka-Heiskanen MD, PhD, Tero Vahlberg MSc, Arho Virkki MSc (Eng), PhD, and Olli Polo MD, PhD

Sleep Research Unit, Department of Physiology, University of Turku; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Central Hospital, Mehiläinen Oy, Turku; Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Department of Biostatistics, University of Turku; Department of Mathematics, University of Turku; Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Tampere University Hospital, Finland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: nea.kalleinen{at}utu.fi.

Objective: To study the 24-h profiles of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and cortisol concentrations in older postmenopausal and in middle-aged premenopausal women, before and after estrogen-progestin treatment (EPT).

Design: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. GH, PRL and cortisol were sampled every 20 min for 24 hours in 18 postmenopausal (aged 58–70 years) and 17 premenopausal (aged 45–51 years) women before and after six months of EPT.

Results: The mean 24-h GH (1.0 vs 1.8 mU/L, p = 0.033) and PRL (6.8 vs 10.0 ng/mL, p = 0.009) concentrations were lower in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. After EPT the postmenopausal GH and PRL did not differ from premenopausal baseline levels. Postmenopausal mean 24-h GH (p < 0.001) and PRL (p = 0.002), daytime GH (p < 0.001) and nighttime PRL (p = 0.004) were higher during EPT compared to placebo. Cortisol levels did not differ. Premenopausal mean nighttime PRL (p = 0.026) and cortisol (p = 0.018) were higher during EPT compared to placebo. Postmenopausal PRL and premenopausal GH and PRL concentrations were higher at night than during the day. EPT did not alter this pattern.

Conclusions: Menopause was associated with decreased 24-h levels of GH and PRL, which were reversible with EPT. In contrast, cortisol levels were not affected by menopause or EPT. In middle-aged premenopausal women the studied effects of EPT were limited to nighttime increases of PRL and cortisol.
Key words: growth hormone • prolactin • cortisol • estrogen • progestin • hormone therapy • woman






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