Episodic luteinizing hormone release in idiopathic oligospermia

The pathophysiology of idiopathic oligospermia (IO) is not fully understood. As some males with IO, particularly those with low normal testosterone (T), may respond favorably to human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG), aberration in gonadotropin release may be implied in these subjects. Therefore, episodic luteinizing hormone (LH) was studied in five males with IO and normal T and compared to six normal control males. Blood samples were obtained every 20 minutes, commencing at 8 A.M. over a period of six to eight hours and assayed for FSH and LH. T was determined at 0, 100, 180, 300, 360, and 480 minutes. Mean LH of 44.6 +/- 4.8 ng/mL (mean + standard error of the mean) in IO was higher than the mean LH of 32.2 + 3.1 ng/mL in the control group (P less than .025). Mean FSH of 204.2 +/- 20.3 ng/mL in IO was higher than mean FSH of 143.1 +/- 22.0 ng/mL in the control group (P less than .05). Mean T of 430 + 56 ng/dL in IO was comparable to 471 +/- 59.2 in the control group. The frequency of LH pulses was similar in both groups. The mean pulse amplitude of LH, 27 +/- 5.5 ng/mL, in IO was significantly higher than in the control group (15 +/- 2.2 ng/mL) (P less than .05). Although a central mechanism cannot be excluded, our data support a possible abnormality in testicular function in some males with IO.