---
title: Do women with PMS have different hormone responses to a thyroid-releasing hormone test?
description: Women with PMS did not differ in average hormone levels, but showed more variability in TSH response to the test than women without PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/tsh-and-prolactin-responses-to-trh-in-patients-with-premenstrual-syndrome-1987/
---

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- Do women with PMS have different hormone responses to a thyroid-releasing hormone test?

Case-control study, 1987

# Do women with PMS have different hormone responses to a thyroid-releasing hormone test?

Women with PMS did not differ in average hormone levels, but showed more variability in TSH response to the test than women without PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

14 women with premenstrual syndrome and 9 control subjects

## What they did

A case-control study. Researchers tested 14 women with confirmed PMS and 9 control subjects during both the follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle. They measured TSH and prolactin responses after giving thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH).

## What they found

There were no differences in basal TSH or prolactin levels, or in maximum increases, between menstrual cycle phases in either group. However, 7 of 10 women with PMS showed abnormal TSH responses (3 blunted and 4 augmented), compared to none of the 9 control subjects. This greater variability in TSH response was statistically significant.

## What it means for you

Women with PMS may have problems with how their pituitary gland regulates the thyroid. However, the practical significance of this finding is unclear, this is a very small study, and no average-level differences were found.

14

women with PMS

9

control subjects

7 of 10

PMS women with abnormal TSH response

## About the study

Original title TSH and prolactin responses to TRH in patients with premenstrual syndrome Authors Roy-Byrne PP, Rubinow DR, Hoban MC et al. Journal The American journal of psychiatry Year 1987 Study design Case-control study Participants 14 What was tested Hormone testing at two menstrual cycle phases Read the paper [doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.4.480](https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.4.480)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Thyroid disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-thyroid/)

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