Effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone on serum TSH, PRL, hGH, FSH and LH in primary testicular failure and in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism
Szilágyi, G.; Szabolcs, I.; Vydra, G.; Góth, M.; Irsy, G.
Acta Medica Hungarica 41(4): 175-183
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0236-5286 PMID: 6440114 Document Number: 241079
Infertile males with primary testicular failure, 6 with normal (Group I) and 7 with elevated gonadotropin levels (Group II), 9 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome (Group III) and 5 patients with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (Group IV) were investigated. Their serum TSH, PRL, hGH, FSH and LH responses to a single bolus of 200 micrograms TRH and 100 micrograms GnRH were measured and compared to the corresponding values obtained in 8 fertile healthy males of the same age group. The testosterone levels differed from the control only in the last two groups. Neither the basal TSH level nor the delta TSH differed between the groups. The latter was significant in all groups. The basal PRL level was similar in each group except in Group II. where the level was low. After TRH-GnRH treatment the PRL level increased significantly in each group but this increase was less in patients with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (9.94 +/- 2.6 nmol/l) when compared to the patients with primary testicular failure (Groups I, II, III, together, n = 22 17.10 +/- 2.12 nmol/l P less than 0.05). The basal levels of hGH and delta GH did not differ significantly between the groups. Both FSH and LH showed an exaggerated and protracted increase in patients with primary testicular failure with elevated basal gonadotropin level after TRH-GnRH, while in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism the response was slight. Neither the serum testosterone nor the serum FSH or LH level influenced the response of TSH and hGH to the TRH-GnRH test.