Cortisol secretion in patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea

Patients with functional amenorrhea have raised central dopaminergic activity and opioid-mediated GnRH inhibition leading to inhibition of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian function. In the present study, basal serum cortisol and ACTH levels were measured in normoprolactinemic amenorrheic patients with (N = 14) and without (N = 7) insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Basal serum cortisol levels was significantly (P less than 0.01) elevated in patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea compared with normal women. Basal serum cortisol was significantly (P less than 0.02) elevated in amenorrheic diabetic patients compared with menstruating diabetic women. In the amenorrheic groups both cortisol and ACTH levels increased significantly (P less than 0.01) after dopamine D-2 receptor blockade, whereas no hormonal changes occurred in the control groups. It is concluded that patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea have elevated basal serum cortisol, the reason probably being hypersecretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone. Secondly that dopaminergic blockade with metoclopramide stimulates ACTH and cortisol secretion in patients presumed to have raised dopaminergic activity.