Abstract
The evaluation of anorchia or diminished testicular reserve usually involves hCG testing. We questioned whether such a study is useful in the presence of the pubertal gonadotropin rise since endoqenously elevated LH (and FSH) may provide an adequate stimulation test. Consequently, we serially measured urinary gonadotropin and serum testosterone (T) in 9 anorchic boys, ages 10-17, and 8 individuals, ages 9-18, with diminished testicular function. Nine of these patients also received hCG stimulation tests. Twenty normal boys, aces 10-17, and 34 adult men furnished urine samples for comparative purposes. By age 12 the anorchic boys excreted adult amounts of LH (>500 mIU/hr) in the presence of low serum T (<33 ng/dl); hCG stimulation tests in 4 of these individuals revealed no increments in T. The LH increments in patients with diminished gonadal reserve were similar to those found in the anorchic boys; T values, however, ranged from 90-640 ng/dl with post-hCG increments of 107-1200 ng/dl. An early FSH rise served to separate patients with decreased testicular function from normals since FSH attained adult levels (>200 mIU/hr) by age 11 and castrate levels (>1700 mIU/hr) by age 13. In conclusion, urinary gonadotropin and serum T measurements can be used to define the conadal status of boys by age 12; hCG testing is not required in the early pubertal period to distinguish anorchia from diminished testicular reserve.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kulin, H., Santner, S. 166 THE ASSESSMFNT OF DIMINISHED TESTICULAR FUNCTION IN PUBFRTAL AGFD BOYS: IS HCG TESTING NECESSARY?. Pediatr Res 19, 631 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00186
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00186