[Pituitary-gonadal hormonal evaluation in male patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis]

Pituitary-gonadal plasmatic hormonal values were measured in 26 alcoholic cirrhotic males and 20 healthy subjects. Total testosterone and luteinizing hormone mean levels were lower in the cirrhotic group (p < 0.05). Estradiol and prolactin were significant higher (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Follicle stimulation hormone mean values were normal. Pituitary-gonadal axis luteinizing hormone-testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone-estradiol were abnormal since the retrofeedback mechanism failed to work in each system. These results show a wide disturbance of the sexual hormonal function in our patients which certainly contributes to puzzle the complexity of the clinical and therapeutic aspects in these kind of patients.