Detecting pre-ovulatory luteinizing hormone surges in urine

Abstract

The study objectives were to determine (i) if pre-ovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surges, undetected in urine by two immunoradiometric assays (IRMA), were detectable by an ultrasensitive immunofluorometric assay (IFMA) and (ii) the influence of creatinine adjustment on the detection and timing of the urinary LH surges. Daily urine specimens were contributed by healthy 25-36 year old volunteers during 14 ovulatory menstrual cycles for an epidemiological study conducted in 1983-1985. Specimens were selected as having been previously assayed by two IRMA without consistently detecting LH surges. These urine specimens were remeasured using an IFMA and adjusted for creatinine concentration. IFMA measurements revealed unambiguous LH surges in all cycles. Adjusting IRMA urinary LH values for creatinine concentrations revealed previously undetected LH surges in four of eight cycles. Creatinine adjustment also altered the timing of IRMA and IFMA LH surges by 1-5 days. These results demonstrate an IFMA that detects pre-ovulatory LH surges in unpreserved, frozen urine from cycles where such surges were previously undetectable. Further, creatinine adjustment can markedly affect detection and timing of the onset and peak of the urinary LH surge. While our analysis suggests that this adjustment improves the validity of the LH measure, this requires further investigation.

Evidence of reproductive endocrine effects in women with occupational fuel and solvent exposures.

“…We assayed urinary LH using a commercial noncompetitive, two-site, timeresolved immunofluorometric assay (Kesner et al 1998(Kesner et al , 1994a. Detailed characteristics of these assays, including specificity, sensitivity, and precision, are described in their respective references (Jaffe 1886;Kesner et al 1994aKesner et al , 1994bKesner et al , 1998.…”

Cerebral white matter in early puberty is associated with luteinizing hormone concentrations

“…Urinary LH levels were divided by creatinine level to correct for variations in urine excretion rate. A creatinine correction has been demonstrated to enhance the detection of LHsurges (Kesner et al, 1998).…”

Effects of gestational and lactational exposure to heptachlor epoxide on age at puberty and reproductive function in men and women

“…Samples were retrieved by study coordinators and stored at -18 1C in a University of Hawaii freezer before being shipped to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Endocrinology Laboratory and stored at À 80 1C until assayed. Urinary luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estrone 3-glucuronide (E 1 3G), and pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G) were assayed as previously described (Kesner et al, 1994a(Kesner et al, , 1994b(Kesner et al, , 1998. E 1 3G and Pd3G are the principal metabolites of estradiol and progesterone, respectively, in the urine.…”