title: Androgen therapy in chronic renal failure.
abstract: Chronic renal failure, dialysis and transplantation have major effects on male reproductive health because of the impairment of spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis and sexual function. Hypothalamo-pituitary testicular dysfunction in uraemia is manifest clinically as delayed growth and puberty, sexual dysfunction, androgen deficiency, impaired spermatogenesis and infertility. Apart from renal anaemia, there are at present no proven indications for androgen therapy in chronic renal failure. This chapter reviews the basis and scope for various clinical applications of gonadotropin and androgen therapy as an adjunct to the standard medical care of chronic renal failure. The therapeutic possibilities implied by experimental and clinical findings suggesting that uraemic hypogonadism may be a functional state of gonadotropin deficiency are emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Handelsman
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D004775:Enuresis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000172:deficiency; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011628:Puberty, Delayed / Q000188:drug therapy; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006062:Gonadotropins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D013739:Testosterone