Age dependent secretion of LH and ACTH in healthy men and patients with erectile dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
Age dependent secretion of testicular and adrenal androgens was examined in healthy men and patients with erectile dysfunction (ED).


METHODS
In 95 healthy men (age 20-74 years) and 739 patients with ED, luteineizing hormone (LH, n = 739), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, n = 480) and the secretion products of testis and adrenal gland testosterone (T, n = 750), free testosterone (fT, n = 718), dehydroepiandrosteronesulfate (DHEAS, n = 598) and cortisol (n = 538) were measured.


RESULTS
In healthy men, LH was measured from 0.75-8.58 mIU/ml and ACTH from 10.59-121.7 pg/ml. Statistically, age was not correlated to LH (P = 0.573) and ACTH (P = 0.833) in healthy men. The secretion products T (P < 0.05), fT (P < 0.001), DHEAS (P < 0.001) and cortisol (P < 0.05) declined significantly with age in healthy persons. In patients with ED, a significant age dependent increase of LH (P < 0.05, n = 739), but not ACTH (P = 0.469, n = 480) was found. T (P < 0.001, n = 736), fT (P < 0.001, n = 718) and DHEAS (P < 0.001, n = 598), but not cortisol (P = 0.307, n = 538) declined in age dependent patients with ED. Age matching revealed a statistical significant elevation (P < 0.05) only for LH (n = 659) in comparison to healthy men (n = 94), all other hormones were not different in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
An LH-increase in patients with erectile dysfunction underlines the importance of Leydig cell degeneration in this disease, but age dependent decline of T secretion was comparable to healthy men, demonstrating a working hypophyseal-testicular-axis. Indication of androgen replacement is therefore limited to selected cases.
Derouet
Harry
H
Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. drderouet@aol.com
Lehmann
Jan
J
Stamm
Bettina
B
Lühl
Christof
C
Römer
Dirk
D
Georg
Thomas
T
Isenberg
Elke
E
Gebhardt
Thomas
T
Stoeckle
Michael
M
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone