Age-Related Serum Concentrations Of Inhibin A, Inhibin B And Activin A In Younger And Elder Fertile Women

Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the age-related effect on the cyclical patterns of serum inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A in younger and elder fertile women and to compare them with concentrations of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone.Patients and Methods: 52 healthy women aged 18 - 45 years experiencing regular cycles participated in the study. Group I consisted of 28 women (median age: 23.6 years), group II consisted of 24 women (median age: 39.4 years). Serum inhibin A, inhibin B, activin A, LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone were measured on day 3, 8 and 22 of the cycle.Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the concentration of FSH in both groups (p-value <0.05). The concentrations of LH, estradiol, progesterone and activin A did not change significantly between the younger and elder fertile women. The serum concentrations of inhibin A, inhibin B in the elder fertile women were significantly lower than those in the younger fertile women (p-value < 0.05).Conclusion: Activin A appears to play a unclear role in characterizing ovarian activity. In contrast, the decreased patterns of circulating inhibin A and inhibin B concentrations in elder fertile women observed during the menstrual cycle suggest that these hormones are early biological markers of the decline in ovarian activity.