Age-Dependent Hormones Levels of the Pituitary–Gonadal and Pituitary–Thyroid Systems in Postmenopausal Women of the European North of the Russian Federation

Abstract

The hormone levels of the pituitary–thyroid and pituitary–gonadal systems were studied in postmenopausal women of the European North of the Russian Federation in the second period of mature age and the elderly and senile ages by radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunoassay. The lowest concentrations of total and free fractions of triiodothyronine and total thyroxin, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and estradiol were determined in the blood of the studied senile-aged women. Excess levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone were found in 12.1% of females in the second period of mature age and 17.4% of elderly-aged females. The examined women showed signs of androgenization manifested by elevated levels of luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and DHEA-S. The levels of luteinizing hormone exceeded the norm in 50% of females of the second period of mature age, 18.2% of the elderly and 26.1% of the persons of old age. The concentrations of testosterone and DHEA-S exceeded the norms established for the postmenopausal period in 15.4 and 91.7% of females in the second period of mature age and in 11.4 and 84.2% of the elderly age. The greatest number of correlations for the studied hormones levels was noted in old age.