[Lack of reductase as cause of andrological disturbance?]

We studied steroid metabolites of 35 men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. We found a significant decrease of androsterone (p less than 0,01) in urine. The quotient of aetiocholanolone: androsterone was significantly increased (p less than 0,01). This means that there might be a lack of 5 alpha-reductase function. Patients with E: A higher than 3,0 showed a significant side-difference of testis volume compared with the control group (p less than 0,01). We suppose that lack of 5 alpha-reductase induces dissociation of the development of the testis.