Gonadotrophins, oestradiol and progesterone during the menstrual cycle in bulimia nervosa.

Gonadotrophins and gonadal hormones were studied during the menstrual cycle or during 5 weeks when no cycles occurred in 15 patients who were diagnosed as having bulimia by DSM III criteria. Nine healthy age-matched women served as controls. Based on plasma oestradiol (E2) values patients were divided into two groups. Group I (n = 8) did not show E2 increases greater than 444 pmol/l indicating that no follicular development took place. Group II showed normal follicular hormone production during the follicular phase but impaired progesterone (P4) levels during the luteal phase. Studies of episodic gonadotrophin secretion during the follicular phase revealed low average LH and FSH values and reduced amplitude but no significant changes of frequency in group I. Our data indicate that impaired follicular maturation as seen in about half of the bulimic patients is caused by impaired gonadotrophin secretion.