[Evaluation of the diurnal rhythm of secretion of chorionic gonadotropins in the first trimester of normal pregnancy].

The authors evaluated the diurnal rhythm of the secretion of hCG in patients in the first trimester of normal pregnancy. The examination was carried out in a group of 22 patients (chosen at random) who came to hospital to undergo abortion (for social indications). The patients stayed in normal hospital conditions and were not given any drugs. All of them were informed of the aim and method of the examination and agreed to it. The blood to be examined was taken every two hours during 24 hours. The determination of hCG was made by means of the radioimmunological method. The statistical analysis was made by means of the Halberg cosinor method. In 14 patients the authors found the existence of the diurnal rhythm (p less than 0.05), in 4 cases the rhythm was circadian (p less than 0.1), in 4 remaining patients no rhythm was found. For the values obtained from 14 patients with a clear diurnal rhythm the authors drew an ellipse of errors by the Halberg method. The ellipse does not cover the centre of the cosinor circle, which confirms the compatibility of the results obtained. The medium value of the amplitude in this group was 20.72% of mesor and acrophase appeared at 16(01).