title: Subcutaneous gonadotropin therapy in male patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The response to subcutaneous (SC) gonadotropin replacement therapy, using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) or hCG alone, was evaluated in male hypothalamic hypogonadism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients with hypothalamic hypogonadism were treated with gonadotropins for induction of puberty and normalization of spermatogenesis. The results were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in a clinical endocrinology department providing tertiary care and in private practices of endocrinology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and eight patients with Kallmann's syndrome in prepubertal or early pubertal stages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human chorionic gonadotropin and hMG were administered SC in individual dosages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Increase of serum testosterone (T), testicular volume, semen volume, and sperm count were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Normalization of serum T and complete sexual maturation was achieved in all patients. Spermatogenesis was induced in all but two patients. Seven patients showed normal findings in semen volume and sperm count, and two patients had semen quality close to normal. In five patients sperm count remained less than 10 x 10(6)/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained by SC gonadotropin replacement prove this mode of administration to be effective in stimulating steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in hypogonadotropic males.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Endocrinology, University of Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Saal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Happ
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cordes
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005058:Eunuchism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D008596:Menotropins