Plasma follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones and the macrosopic characteristics of the ovaries in patients with stein-leventhal syndrome. Response to LH-RH in Stein-Leventhal syndrome.

Synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) was administered intravenously to 50 women with Stein-Leventhal syndrome and to 15 women with normal menstrual cycle. The patients with Stein-Leventhal syndrome were divided into two groups on the basis of the macroscopic characteristics of the ovaries: group I-with enlarged ovaries--and group II--with normal or diminished ovaries. The basal levels of FSH and LH in group I were greater as compared with those of group II. The maximal increase of both gonadotropins after a LH-RH stimulation was also greater in group I women. On the basis of the results obtained, the elevated basal levels and gonadotropin response to LH-RH test may be used in the differential diagnosis between the two forms of the disease.