Serum Concentrations of Inhibin B in Healthy Females and Males Throughout Life

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2024-12, Vol.110 (1), p.70
• Main Authors: Borelli-Kjær, Anna, Aksglaede, Lise, Jensen, Rikke Beck, Hagen, Casper Petri, Ljubicic, Marie Lindhardt, Busch, Alexander Siegfried, Upners, Emmie Nicolina, Fischer, Margit Bistrup, Jensen, Tina Kold, Linneberg, Allan, Kårhus, Line Lund, Andersson, Anna-Maria, Petersen, Jørgen Holm, Juul, Anders, Johannsen, Trine Holm
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - blood; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Inhibins - blood; Klinefelter Syndrome - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Puberty - blood; Reference Values; Sex Factors; Sexual Maturation - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae439

To describe the natural history of inhibin B throughout life according to sex, age, and pubertal development. Based on serum samples from 2707 healthy controls aged 0 to 80 years, sex- and age-specific reference ranges of inhibin B concentrations were constructed. Concentrations were evaluated according to pubertal development and use of oral contraceptives (OCs). Also, measurements from 42 patients with Klinefelter syndrome were included. In both sexes, inhibin B concentrations were high during minipuberty, decreased in childhood, and significantly increased from Tanner stages B1 to B3 (peak: B4) in females and from G1 to G3 (peak: G3) in males. Despite variations in menstruating females, inhibin B concentrations remained relatively constant after puberty until becoming unmeasurable at menopause. Despite a modest decrease, the inhibin B concentration in males remained relatively high from puberty onward. At any age, males had highest concentrations. Inhibin B SD scores were lower in OC users (median SD score = -0.88) than in nonusers (SD score = 0.35), P < .001. In patients with Klinefelter syndrome, inhibin B concentrations spanned the reference range until approximately 15 years of age, where they decreased to subnormal or unmeasurable levels. Valuable sex- and age-specific reference data for inhibin B concentrations were provided. In OC users, decreased concentrations of inhibin B underlined the ovaries as the only place of inhibin B production. In patients with Klinefelter syndrome, the decline in inhibin B concentrations at puberty underlined the shift in regulation of inhibin B production at pubertal onset.