Effect of Metformin on Sensitivity of the GnRH Pulse Generator to Suppression by Estradiol and Progesterone
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2015-01-17
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Many, but not all, girls with high levels of the male hormone testosterone go on to develop
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as adults. Women with PCOS often have irregular menstrual
periods, excess facial and body hair, and weight gain. PCOS is also a leading cause of
difficulty becoming pregnant. The investigators do not understand why some girls with high
hormones develop PCOS and others do not. In a previous study by our group, some girls with
high levels of male hormones had abnormalities in the secretion of another hormone, called
luteinizing hormone (LH), that are often seen in women with PCOS. However, another group had
normal LH secretion. The girls with the abnormal LH secretion had higher levels of another
hormone, called insulin, than the girls with normal LH secretion. The investigators will test
whether metformin, an insulin-sensitizing agent, changes the effects of high male hormone
levels in adolescent girls, specifically by looking at their LH secretion response following
metformin treatment.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Virginia
Collaborator:
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)