Effect of hCG or hCG+ treatments in young thalassemic patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is common (40%) in beta-thalassemic patients. Taking into consideration that in HH non-thalassemic patients we obtained good results in pubertal development using hCG treatment (1500 IU every 6 days), 10 HH thalassemic subjects (14 5/12 -17 yr, all with bone age greater than 13 6/12) were treated with the same regimen. In 5 of these patients purified FSH (75 IU every 3 days) was added to hCG in order to evaluate the FSH effect on testosterone (T) response (Group 1 was given hCG alone, Group 2 hCG + FSH: Profasi HP and Metrodin Serono). To evaluate the kinetics of testosterone response, plasma level of T was determined basally and 1, 2, 4 and 6 days after hCG injection. This dynamic study and a clinical examination were carried out at the beginning of treatment and at the 4th and 12th month after. Results obtained in the first group confirmed our previous data from non-thalassemic HH patients: in fact, after 12 months of therapy a stage G2-G3 was reached. In the second group, however, testis size and testosterone secretion were significantly higher than in the first group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Balducci
R
R
Clinica Pediatrica 2a Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy.
Toscano
V
V
Finocchi
G
G
Municchi
G
G
Mangiantini
A
A
Boscherini
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D002648:Child; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone