title: Association between altered placental human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) production and the occurrence of cryptorchidism: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increase in cryptorchidism has been reported in many countries. One mechanism could be low fetal testosterone production possibly secondary to altered placental human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) release. Our Objective was to compare hCG values from maternal blood between boys with cryptorchidism and normal boys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total hCG and α-fetoprotein (AFP) values [12-16 weeks of gestation; from the double test for Down syndrome screening) were compared between cases of cryptorchidism and normal control boys who were matched for maternal age, maternal smoking, gestational age at time of hCG measurement (±1 day), birth weight and birth term. Measurements were performed in a single laboratory; values were expressed as absolute values (KU/L) and multiples of the median (MoM). Boys whose mothers had had a complicated pregnancy were excluded. Groups were compared using the Student's t test. Log transformation was used to normalize hCG, MoM hCG, AFP and MoM AFP distribution, and values were expressed as geometric means (-1, + 1 tolerance factor).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total hCG and MoM hCG levels were significantly lower in the 51 boys with cryptorchidism compared to 306 controls (21.4 (12.3; 37) KU/L vs 27.7 (15.9; 47.9) KU/L and 0.8 (0.5; 1.2) MoM vs 1.0 (0.6; 1.6) MoM, respectively, p < 0.01). By contrast, AFP and MoM AFP levels were similar between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed a link between low maternal serum hCG levels and cryptorchidism in boys from uncomplicated pregnancy, while normal AFP levels indicated a normal fetoplacental unit. Whether these abnormalities were due to endogenous or exogenous factors remains to be determined.
authors: Carole
authors: C
authors: Chedane
authors: Hugues
authors: H
authors: Puissant
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Weil
authors: Stéphanie
authors: S
authors: Rouleau
authors: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, University Hospital, 4 rue Larrey, 49033 Angers CEDEX 01, France. recoutant@chu-angers.fr.
authors: Régis
authors: R
authors: Coutant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins