Reference ranges of lutropin and follitropin in the luliberin test in prepubertal and pubertal children using a monoclonal immunoradiometric assay.

Abstract

Reference ranges of lutropin and follitropin in the luliberin test (60 micrograms/m2 body surface) were established for the various pubertal stages in a large sample of endocrinologically healthy children using a monoclonal immunoradiometric assay (LH and FSH MAIA Clone, Serono Diagnostika, Freiburg, FRG). Qualitatively, the results for lutropin were similar to those already reported from studies using polyclonal RIA's. Lutropin increased gradually throughout pubertal development. Quantitatively, however, the immunoradiometric assay system yielded considerably lower results than polyclonal RIA's. In contrast, follitropin showed a very good linear regression between monoclonal and polyclonal assays. Therefore the former reference ranges for follitropin are still applicable.