The release of LH and FSH during the thyroid surgery for hyperthyroidism

Serial blood samples, collected from 21 females and 9 males through the thyroid surgery procedures were assayed for LH and FSH by a radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. During thyroid surgery the serum LH increased significantly in the male patients from the preoperative levels 20.66 +/- 11.67 to 45.49 +/- 18.50 mIU/ml (p less than 0.01), being unchanged or slightly lower in the female group. The serum LH progressively fell towards the end of the surgery, remaining over the preoperative levels i4 hrs after surgery; occasionally very high levels were observed. The release of LH seemed to be more precocious during the surgery in both sexes in patients belonging to the age group under 40 years by comparison to the older group. The serum FSH showed nonsignificant changes during and after surgery in both female and male patients excepting two menopaused female hyperthyroid patients and a woman of 60 years under laborious surgery for a cervicothoracic polynodular goiter. The data are suggesting the dissociated secretion of LH and FSH in both sexes excepting some cases of menopaused women.