Table 3.

Statistical analysis results for LH concentration between different Pb exposure groups after 12 and 24 months of the experiment (Mann–Whitney test between each two groups and multiple comparisons Kruskal–Wallis test between all groups). Comparison of Spearman’s correlation coefficients (r) for the relationship of the level of spontaneous LH and after stimulating injection to dietary Pb level, after 12 and 24 months of the experiment

	After 12 months Pb exposure				After 24 months Pb exposure and after 12 months exposure and 12 months depuration
Hours	0	6	12	24	0	6	12	24
Control	ABa	a	a	Aa	ns
8	Ab	b	a	Aa	No differences between groups after the 24-month exposure period as well as after the 12-month exposure and 12-month depuration period
13	ABb	b	a	ABa
24	AB	ab	ab	Bb
49	Bc	ab	b	Bb
Kruskal–Wallis test	p < 0.01	ns	p < 0.05	p < 0.01	ns
r	0.13	0.10	0.35**	0.5***	0.11	0.03	0.14	0.10
r-dep	–	–	–	–	0.20	−0.21	−0.18	−0.02

Uppercase letters signify p < 0.01 and lowercase letters signify p < 0.05

**p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001