Further studies on intratesticular testosterone concentration in patients with disturbed fertility

32 patients with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia were studied. In all cases testosterone was in the normal range. Luteinizing hormone (LH) in plasma was elevated in 10 patients and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was elevated in 18 cases. The testes were evaluated by morphometry. The higher the degree of tubular atrophy the smaller the testes and the more Leydig cells found in a given piece of tissue. The percentage of the testes occupied by Leydig cells correlated wtih the intratesticular testosterone concentration(r = 0.435, P < 0.001). In the subgroup of patients with normal plasma testosterone and elevated LH values the intratesticular testosterone was significantly (P < 0.001) elevated as compared to the patients with normal LH.