Study to Assess Acute Progesterone Suppression of Wake vs. Sleep Luteinizing Hormone Pulse Frequency in Pubertal Girls With and Without Hyperandrogenism
The purpose of this study is two-fold. (1) We will determine if in mid- to late pubertal girls without hyperandrogenism (HA), progesterone (P4) acutely reduces waking luteinizing hormone (LH) frequency to a greater extent than sleep-associated LH frequency. (2) We will determine if in mid- to late pubertal girls with HA, P4 will acutely suppress waking LH frequency to a lesser degree than it does in girls without HA.
• Mid- to late pubertal adolescent girl (at least Tanner breast stage 3, but no more than 2 years postmenarcheal)
• For girls without hyperandrogenism: serum (calculated) free testosterone concentration within the Tanner stage-specific reference range and the absence of hirsutism
• For girls with hyperandrogenism: serum (calculated) free testosterone concentration greater than the Tanner stage-specific reference range and/or unequivocal evidence for hirsutism
• General good health (excepting overweight, obesity, hyperandrogenism, and adequately-treated hypothyroidism)
• Capable of and willing to provide informed assent (adolescents under age 16 years) and/or consent (adolescents over age 16 years; custodial parents or guardians of all adolescent volunteers)
• Willing to strictly avoid pregnancy with use of reliable non-hormonal methods during the study period