ENDOCRINE CHANGES BEFORE AND AFTER THE MENARCHE

Abstract

ABSTRACT In an endocrine survey of healthy girls aged 8 to 20 years before and after the menarche, the serum thyroxine (T4), uptake of triiodothyronine by Sephadex (T3U), and the binding capacities of thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) and pre-albumin (TBPA) were measured, and a free thyroxine index (FTI = T4 × T3U) was calculated. The subjects were grouped according to skeletal age (SA) until the menarche and after this in the post-menarcheal age (PMA), expressed in years. T4 and FTI increased concomitantly and reached peak values of 8.40 μg/100 ml and 8.40, respectively, at 2–3 years PMA. The corresponding mean values for post-menarcheal girls (7.74 μg/100 ml and 7.51) differed statistically significantly from the means before the menarche (7.03 μg/ 100 ml and 6.75). The TBG remained virtually unchanged during the whole period, whereas the TBPA showed a continuous increase and reached a maximal level 1–2 years after the menarche. The maturation process in girls in some way involves an increase in the total and free T4 level which is not dependent on hormone binding proteins.