A model for the identification of hormone pulses.

Several hormones are released into the blood in a pulsating manner, that is, in short bursts which cause a rapid increase in the circulating concentration. The concentration then declines due to excretion, chemical breakdown, and redistribution into other compartments. Based on a series of observations of the level of hormone in the blood, investigators desire to quantify characteristics of these pulses, that is, timing, amplitude and rate of decay. We describe a statistical model for hormone pulse data and introduce a new method for estimating the characteristics of the pulses.