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. 2012 Mar 30;97(6):1887–1896. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-3451

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2.

Stimulated plasma ACTH and cortisol levels in women with PMD and controls after CRH administration across three hormone conditions (mean ± sem). There were no significant main or interactive effects of diagnosis in the pattern of plasma ACTH and cortisol levels at baseline or after CRH administration. ANOVA-R showed significant effects of hormone condition and hormone condition by time with plasma ACTH levels. Post hoc analysis of the individual time points showed the highest ACTH levels during progesterone compared with estradiol and hypogonadism. Plasma ACTH levels during progesterone were significantly higher than those during hypogonadism at times +45 and +60 min [Bonferroni (range) t444 = 2.7–2.9; P < 0.05] and higher at a trend level of significance at +30 min. Plasma ACTH levels during progesterone also were significantly higher than those during estradiol at time +30 min (Bonferroni t444 = 2.9; P < 0.05). Plasma ACTH levels were not significantly different during estradiol compared with hypogonadism (Bonferroni t444 < 1.0; P value is NS for all comparisons). Individual plasma cortisol values also showed significant effects of hormone condition and hormone condition by time. Overall, plasma cortisol levels were lowest during estradiol and highest during progesterone with plasma levels during hypogonadism between those of estradiol and progesterone. Post hoc analysis of the individual time points showed plasma cortisol levels during progesterone were higher than those during hypogonadism at a trend level of significance at times +60 and +75 (Bonferroni t444 = 2.3 and 2.5; P < 0.1 with 18 comparisons). Significantly higher plasma cortisol levels during progesterone also were observed compared with estradiol at times +30, +45, +60, and +75 (P < 0.05 at +30 and P < 0.01 at +45, +60, and +75; Bonferroni t444 = 3.2, 3.8, 4.4, and 5.5, respectively). Finally, plasma cortisol levels were higher (at a trend level of significance) during hypogonadism compared with estradiol at time +75 (Bonferroni t444 = 2.9; P < 0.1).