Related Experiment Videos
Stimulation of spermatogenesis by gonadotropins in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
Abstract:
We evaluated the efficacy of gonadotropin treatment in stimulating spermatogenesis in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. When 21 men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism were treated with human chorionic gonadotropin, the sperm count increased to within the normal range in the 6 in whom hypogonadism had begun after puberty, but in only 1 of the 15 in whom it had begun before puberty (P less than 0.002). When the remaining 14 men with prepubertal hypogonadism were treated with human menopausal gonadotropin in addition to human chorionic gonadotropin, the sperm count increased to normal in 5 of the 7 who had not had cryptorchidism, but in only 1 of the 7 who had (P less than 0.05). The need for human menopausal gonadotropin as a replacement for follicle-stimulating hormone could not be predicted by pretreatment serum and urinary levels of follicle-stimulating hormone. We conclude that gonadotropin treatment will usually increase the sperm count to normal in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, unless cryptorchidism has occurred. The need for human menopausal gonadotropin treatment appears to depend on the time of onset of hypogonadism.
Insights
Gonadotropin treatment effectively stimulates sperm production in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Success is more likely when hypogonadism begins after puberty and if cryptorchidism is absent.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Andrology
- Spermatogenesis
Background:
- Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is a condition characterized by insufficient sex hormone production.
- Stimulating spermatogenesis in men with HH is crucial for fertility.
- The efficacy of gonadotropin therapy in HH requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of gonadotropin treatment in improving sperm counts in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
- To identify factors influencing the response to gonadotropin therapy, including age of onset and presence of cryptorchidism.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of 21 men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism receiving gonadotropin treatment.
- Treatment regimens included human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG).
- Sperm counts were analyzed pre- and post-treatment, with stratification based on puberty onset and history of cryptorchidism.
Main Results:
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment normalized sperm counts in 6/6 men with post-pubertal onset HH, versus 1/15 with pre-pubertal onset (P < 0.002).
- In men with pre-pubertal HH, combined hCG and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) normalized sperm counts in 5/7 without cryptorchidism, versus 1/7 with cryptorchidism (P < 0.05).
- Pretreatment hormone levels did not predict the need for hMG.
Conclusions:
- Gonadotropin treatment generally improves sperm counts in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
- Treatment success is significantly influenced by the absence of cryptorchidism and the timing of hypogonadism onset (post-pubertal vs. pre-pubertal).
- The requirement for hMG therapy in pre-pubertal HH appears linked to the condition's onset rather than baseline hormonal profiles.