Abstract 27

Criptorquidism is associated with an increased risk of developing infertility during adulthood. Usually an increment of serum FSH represents a marker that characterize damage in spermatogenesis in this and other gonadal pathologies. It is well known that circulating dimeric inhibins regulate FSH secretion and byosinthesis. However, little is known if high FSH is associated with changes in serum levels of dimeric inhibins in children and adolescents with criptochidism Our aim was to determine possible alterations in serum INH-B and/or ProαC levels in children and adolescents with criptorchidism and high FSH. Thirty eight patients with unilateral (n=24) and bilateral (n=14) criptorquidism were studied. Patients with high FSH were defined as those having a basal FSH higher than 3 standard deviations from mean for their age. Among prepuberal patients (n=11), four (CA 8.5 ± 3.1 years) with high FSH had significantly lower INH-B levels than those patients with normal FSH (35±20 vs 178±106 pg/ml (p=0.02)). Among puberal patients (n=27), fourteen with high FSH had significantly lower INH-B levels than those with normal FSH (218±154 vs 375±191 pg/ml (p=0.02)). No differences was found in serum ProαC concentrations. In summary, prepubertal and pubertal patients with unilateral and/or bilateral criptorquidism with high FSH levels also have alterations in circulating dimeric INH-B which indicates an abnormal sertoli-germinal cells function of different magnitude.