Circulating gonadotrophins and urinary oestrogens in postmenopausal diabetic women

Serum FSH and LH and total urinary oestrogens were measured in 20 mature onset postmenopausal diabetic women and compared to 20 nondiabetic women matched for age, years since menopause, surface area and per cent ideal weight. Significantly higher levels of urinary oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol and significantly lower levels of FSH and LH were found in the diabetic women. Closer analysis of these findings showed that the differences were maintained for the diabetics who required insulin for adequate control, whereas diabetics controlled on diet alone or diet and oral hypoglycaemic drugs were not significantly different from control subjects except in urinary oestrone excretion.