[Testosterone deficit syndrome in the chronic renal failure patient]

Hypogonadism may affect as much as 70% of the patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) in comparison with general population. Physiopathologically, it is a hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, with alterations in the pulsatile production of GnRH, FSH, LH and testicular testosterone, that is a general disorder of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-testicular axis. This disorder may determine important consequences in this population of patients, with varied sexual dysfunction, trophic and functional muscular and fatty tissue disorders, bone demineralization, anemia and increase of cardiovascular disease associated mortality.Treatment in these patients must be focused from a general point of view, increasing their clinical condition, the systemic complications associated with CRF, complementing in this way with exogenous testosterone replacement therapy. If possible, it seems that the most efficacious therapy will be renal transplantation.