Abstract
Ten chronic male alcoholics presenting with hypogonadism but without overt liver failure werd examined under basal conditions and after stimulation of the testicular steroidogenesis with a single dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 2,000 IL) im). Plasma concentrations of testosterone (T), 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and 17-OH progesterone (17-OHP) were measured between 08:00-09:00 prior to injection and then every 24 h at the same time in the morning until the 96th hour following the injection. Controls were 10 male adult volunteers, examined under the same conditions. Four alcoholics underwent a second hCG stimulation after 10 day controlled abstinence from alcohol. Basal plasma T and P were significantly decreased and increased respectively in the alcoholics (p < 0.001) whereas E2 and 17-OHP were much the same in both groups. The magnitude of the T response to hCG injection was significantly lower in the alcoholics at any considered time (p < 0.001). The E2 response, too, was lower, whereas the ratio E2 change/T change after hCG was higher. The response peak occurred earlier for E2than for T both in controls and alcoholics. The mean percent change at 24 h and the mean maximum increase of 17-OHP were higher in the alcoholics (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively). An increase in P after hCG was observed in only 5 alcoholics (responders), while some subjects displayed paradoxical decreases. Abstinence was always followed by an increased T response and a decreased 17-OHP response. The E2 response was unchanged and two P responders displayed an increased response. Our results indicate that chronic alcohol abusers show an abnormal testicular response to hCG and are compatible with the following effects of ethanol on steroid synthesis at the Leydig cell level: increased activity of 17 α-hydroxylase and aromatase, decreased activity of C17-C20 lyase and/or 17-ketosteroid reductase.
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Gatti, G., Bertello, P., Gurioli, L. et al. Plasma testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and 17-hydroxy-progesterone responses to single-dose stimulation with human chorionic gonadotropin in chronic male alcoholics. J Endocrinol Invest 8, 313–319 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348503
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348503