Luteinizing hormone responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone and naloxone in menstruating women with type I diabetes of different duration.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (100 micrograms injected intravenously (IV)) or naloxone (4 mg injected plus 8 mg infused in 2 hours IV) were evaluated in 29 women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (duration, group I (n = 15): less than 10 years, range 3 to 9 years; group II (n = 14): greater than 10 years, range 11 to 20 years) and in 15 normal controls, on the 22nd days of normal menstrual cycles. Both GnRH- and naloxone-induced LH responses were similar in group I diabetics and normal controls, whereas they were significantly lower in group II than in group I diabetics or normal controls. Positive correlations were found between LH responses to GnRH and naloxone, whereas negative correlations were observed between maximal LH peaks in response to GnRH or naloxone and duration of diabetes. These data indicate that a hypothalamic pituitary disorder affects LH secretion with time after the onset of IDDM.