Hormonal profile in pubertal females with chronic renal failure: before and under haemodialysis and after renal transplantation.

The effects of chronic renal failure on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in 25 girls, aged 9.1 to 20.9 years (mean 13.8) were studied. Twelve patients on conservative treatment (group A) had serum creatinine values between 176.8 and 1502.8 mumol/l; 9 patients were on haemodialysis (group B); and 12 patients had received a renal transplant (group C). Tanner stage of breast development was delayed relative to chronological age in 5 out of 18 patients. Serum oestradiol was normal or low when related to pubertal stages in all groups. Serum LH was elevated in group A and B patients, but normal in group C patients. Serum FSH was elevated in 6 out of the 21 patients in group A plus B, and in 2 out of the 12 patients in group C. Serum PRL was elevated in 12/12, 6/8, and 4/11 patients in group A, B, and C respectively. After GnRH administration to 4 patients in group A, 3 showed delayed or absent gonadotropin response; all 4 patients studied in group C showed normal gonadotropin response. The data indicate a decreased E2 secretion, abnormal gonadotropin and PRL levels and a blunted gonadotropin response to GnRH in girls with chronic renal failure. These results seem to indicate an alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit that can be reversed after successful renal transplantation.