Frontiers in Endocrinology (Apr 2022)

Growth Hormone Is Beneficial for Induction of Spermatogenesis in Adult Patients With Congenital Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency

  • Yiyi Zhu,
  • Min Nie,
  • Xi Wang,
  • Qibin Huang,
  • Bingqing Yu,
  • Rui Zhang,
  • Junyi Zhang,
  • Bang Sun,
  • Jiangfeng Mao,
  • Xueyan Wu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.868047
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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BackgroundGonadotropins are effective in inducing spermatogenesis in patients with congenital combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CCPHD). Data on recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) adjuvant treatment to improve gonadotropin-induced spermatogenesis are limited.Design and SettingThis retrospective study included 60 male patients with CCPHD on a relatively large case series in a single center from mainland China. Twenty-nine patients who received gonadotropin therapy alone were defined as the Gn group, while 31 patients treated with a combination of rhGH and gonadotropins were defined as GH/Gn group.ResultsSpermatogenesis rate was 96.77% (30/31) and 62.07% (18/29) in the GH/Gn and Gn group, respectively (P < 0.001). The time for initial sperm appearance in the GH/Gn group was shorter than in the Gn group (14 versus 23 months, P < 0.001). A higher level of serum testosterone was achieved in the GH/Gn group than in the Gn group (4.79 versus 3.38 ng/mL, P = 0.026). After adjustment for potential confounders, rhGH supplementation was an independent beneficial factor on spermatogenesis (HR = 2.294, 95% CI: 1.143-4.604, P = 0.019).ConclusionsrhGH induces earlier spermatogenesis in patients with CCPHD, which encourages the co-treatment with rhGH and gonadotropins in CCPHD patients.

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