Non-invasive hormonal analysis for ovulation detection.

The present study suggested that measurement of LH, E2 and P in blood may be replaced by non-invasive measurements of E2 and P in saliva and by assays of LH, E1-3G and P2-3G in urine. These alternative methods for determination of reproductive hormones in saliva and in urine provide similar and reliable information of endocrine status in both normal and abnormal reproductive functions. The advantages of these non-invasive methods should be brought into consideration whenever the physiological assessments or clinical investigations of ovarian functions are required.

Serum cortisol, academic performance and health of siriraj medical students.

A study of serum cortsol in second year medical students at Siriraj Hospital was performed in 1986 curriculum year. Ninety-one volunteers, 28 females and 63 males, participated in this study. Two blood samples were collected from each volunteer, one at the beginning of the second semester and the other at the end of the semester, a few days before the final examination in Physiology. Serum cortisol, which was measured by RIA technique, was used to determine the degree of stress and the ability to adapt to stress. By considering the two cortisol values on second examination, group 2-increased value from first normal value, group 3-decreased value from first high value and group 4-sustained or increased value from first high value. It was found that 57.14 percent of male and 60.71 percent of female students already had higher serum cortisol than normal in the first sample. The academic performance and health were Physiology examination was higher in the group 1+3 than the group 2+4 (p=0.034). Two students, one who was in the group 2 with increased serum cortisol and the other who was in the group 3 with decreased serum cortisol, developed psychological problems in the following year.

Induction of ovulation with a short course of prednisolone in patients with adrenal hyper-functrion: A report of 2 cases.

One to four short course of low dose prednisolone (5 mg x 3 daily for 7 days) was given to 2 cases of amenorrhoea with chronic anovulatory cycles. There were 27, 35 years old and had moderately high serum cortisol and 17-ketosteroides. These patients had been treated previously with either clomiphene or some type of hormone treatment in attempt to induce ovulation and pregnancy without success 2-3 years prior to the present consultation. The first patient, spontaneous ovulation as determined by BBT and serum progesterone occurred following one course of prednisolone treatment without other medication. Blood cortisol was suppressed to normal level which lasted for three months. The 17-SK was also markedly suppressed. Another three courses of prednisolone were given either alone or in addition to clomid before successful conception occurred. The second patient in whom spontaneous ovulation did not occur followed first prednisolone course received clomid alone 50 mg x 5 days the next cycle to stimulate ovulation which was followed by successful conception with normal pregnancy and delivery.