ABSTRACT

Urinary estrone and estradiol production rates have been measured using electroncapture GLC for quantification of mass. The precision of most measurements is 10–15%, and there is sufficient sensitivity to estimate estrone and estradiol production (PuE1 and PuE2) in endocrineablated subjects.

Normal women had PuE1 of 51 ± 11 and 70 ± 23 μg/day, respectively during the follicular phase, increasing 3-fold during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Normal men produced 40 μg/day of E1 and E2. PuE2 was decreased 50% after 5 days of fluoxymesterone treatment. Post-menopausal women produced 19.7 ± 2.0 μg/day of E1 Two women with previous oophorectomy and hypophysectomy produced significantly higher quantities of E1 and E2 when compared with women who had undergone oophorectomy and adrenalectomy.

Estrone production rates were elevated in 4/7 men with gynecomastia of varying etiologies; these elevations were associated with increased conversion of circulating androstenedione to E1.

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