LH and FSH response to gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in normospermic, oligospermic and azoospermic men.
GnRH was administered to 34 men (8 normospermic, 8 moderately oligospermic, 10 severely oligospermic and 8 azoospermic) and the responsiveness of serum LH and FSH determined. For LH, basal levels were not different among each group, nor was there any difference in response to GnRH at any point in time after injection; however, there was a trend for the azoospermic group to respond more briskly. For FSH, basal levels also did not differ among the groups, but both the azoospermic and severely oligospermic groups showed a hyperresponsiveness that differed significantly from the response elicited by the normospermic group. It is concluded that oligo-azoospermia results from a pantesticular defect involving both seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells and that latent pituitary insufficiency is rarely a cause of subfertility in men.
D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology
D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone