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Testicular activity in Cushing's disease.
- Source :
-
Acta endocrinologica [Acta Endocrinol (Copenh)] 1979 Jul; Vol. 91 (3), pp. 501-10. - Publication Year :
- 1979
-
Abstract
- Plasma testosterone levels were suppressed in 6 of 8 mature male patients with Cushing's disease, all of whom complained of loss of libido and decreased sexual potency. Gonadotrophin levels, both under basal conditions and in response to LH-RH, were generally normal. The testicular response to stimulation with hCG was brisk in the 2 patients examined. Oestradiol levels were slightly elevated in 2 patients and prolactin levels were normal in all patients. Thus, male patients with Cushing's disease demonstrated normal gonadotrophin levels in the presence of suppressed testosterone, or, viewed from a slightly different prospect, low testosterone levels despite normal gonadotrophins. Neither oestradiol nor prolactin excess appeared to account for the observations. Possible explanations for these findings include (a) a combination of impaired hypothalamic and testicular function, and (b) a resetting downwards of the level of testosterone that is seen as appropriate by the disordered bypothalamic-pituitary unit. Following correction of cortisol excess in Cushing's disease, testosterone levels rose into the normal range.
- Subjects :
- 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids urine
17-Ketosteroids urine
Adult
Chorionic Gonadotropin therapeutic use
Cushing Syndrome blood
Cushing Syndrome drug therapy
Estradiol blood
Follicle Stimulating Hormone blood
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Humans
Luteinizing Hormone blood
Male
Middle Aged
Prolactin blood
Cushing Syndrome physiopathology
Testis physiopathology
Testosterone blood
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0001-5598
- Volume :
- 91
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Acta endocrinologica
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 382726
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1530/acta.0.0910501