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Test Code LH or LAB87 Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Serum or Plasma

Important Note

For patients less than 10 years old, please order the Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Pediatrics

Patient Preparation: For 12 hours before this test, do not take multivitamins or dietary supplements containing biotin (vitamin B7), which is commonly found in hair, skin, and nail supplements and multivitamins. Biotin can interfere with many immunoassay tests.

Specimen Requirements

Container Type:

Optimal: Gold or Mint*

*For STAT requests

Acceptable: Red or Green
Optimal Collection Volume: 

4.5mL; full tube
Minimum Volume:

1 mL whole blood
Collection Instructions:

Gently invert the sample 5-6 times after collection.
Specimen Transport:

Refrigerate
Processing Instructions: 

1. If serum, allow the specimen to clot for 30 minutes.

2. Centrifuge specimen within 2 hours of collection.

3. After centrifugation, specimen tubes without a gel barrier should have the serum or plasma aliquoted to a false bottom container.

4. Keep serum or plasma refrigerated until testing can be performed.

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Serum* Refrigerated 14 days
Room Temperature 5 days
Frozen 6 months

*Note: Heparinized plasma in gel separator tubes is less stable than serum and is only suitable for add-on testing up to 2 days following sample collection.

Specimen Rejection Criteria

Hemolysis Mild OK; Moderate OK; Gross Reject
Lipemia Mild OK; Moderate OK; Gross Reject
Icterus Mild OK; Moderate OK; Gross Reject
Other Quantity not sufficient

Useful For

The determination of LH in conjunction with FSH is utilized for the following indications: congenital diseases with chromosome aberrations (e.g., Turners syndrome), polycystic ovaries (PCO), clarifying the causes of amenorrhea, menopausal syndrome, and suspected Leydig cell insufficiency.

Methodology

Roche Cobas - Electrochemiluminescence assay

Reference Ranges

Male

Reference Range and Reporting Units

Median (mIU/mL)

2 SD Range (mIU/mL)

4.0

1.7-8.6

 

Female

Phase

Reference Range and Reporting Units

Median (mIU/mL)

2 SD Range (mIU/mL)

Follicular Phase

5.9

2.4-12.6

Mid Cycle Peak

30.8

14.0-95.6

Luteal Phase

4.3

1.0-11.4

Postmenopausal

29.1

7.7-58.5

 

Children (< 10 years)

Reference Range and Reporting Units

Median (mIU/mL)

2 SD Range (mIU/mL)

N/A

0.2-1.4

Interpretive

In both males and females, primary hypogonadism results in an elevation of basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels.

FSH and LH are generally elevated in:

  • Primary gonadal failure
  • Complete testicular feminization syndrome
  • Precocious puberty (either idiopathic or secondary to a central nervous system lesion)
  • Menopause
  • Primary ovarian hypodysfunction in females
  • Polycystic ovary disease in females
  • Primary hypogonadism in males

LH is decreased in:

  • Primary ovarian hyperfunction in females
  • Primary hypergonadism in males

FSH and LH are both decreased in failure of the pituitary or hypothalamus.

 

Source: Mayo Medical Labs

Day(s) Performed

24/7

Expected TAT

Same day

Performing Laboratory

Bronson Laboratory, Chemistry - Kalamazoo

Sample Retention Time

7 days

CPT Code

83002

LOINC Code

10501-5

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