PLoS ONE (Jan 2017)

Clomiphene citrate effect in obese men with low serum testosterone treated with metformin due to dysmetabolic disorders: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

  • Carla Pelusi,
  • Vito Angelo Giagulli,
  • Margherita Baccini,
  • Flaminia Fanelli,
  • Marco Mezzullo,
  • Alessia Fazzini,
  • Nicola Bianchi,
  • Matteo Domenico Carbone,
  • Giovanni De Pergola,
  • Marianna Mastroroberto,
  • Antonio Maria Morselli Labate,
  • Renato Pasquali

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183369
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 9
p. e0183369

Abstract

Read online

Low testosterone (T) levels are often found in obese men with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and overt type 2 diabetes (T2DM); however, the mechanisms underlying this condition and its correct therapy are still under debate.To evaluate the effectiveness of clomiphene citrate (CC) in increasing endogenous T levels in obese men with low serum T and with IGT or T2DM treated with metformin (MET).Cross-over, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.24 obese men, aged 47.3 ±. 6.3 (range 35-55 years), with low T level (≤3 ng/mL) and naïve diagnosis of IGT or T2DM were included. Subjects were randomized to CC 25 mg/day or placebo (Plac) with MET 2 g/day for 3 months. After a 6-week wash-out period, subjects were moved to the alternative arm for additional 3 months. Clinical evaluation and blood exams performed prior to and at the end of treatment.Of 24 randomized, 21 were evaluable, classified as IGT (n = 11) or T2DM (n = 10). Compared to baseline levels, T levels increased significantly after 3 months of CC treatment (3.03±0.80 to 5.99±1.67 ng/mL P<0.001) but not after the Plac treatment (2.87±0.78 to 3.09±0.84 ng/mL P<0.001 between the treatments). T changes were similar in IGT and T2DM subjects. Gonadotropins as well raised significantly after CC treatment (LH 3.83±1.45 to 8.53±6.40 mU/mL; FSH 4.84±1.67 to 10.15±5.08 mU/mL P<0.001 respectively), whereas no changes for LH (3.51±1.59 to 3.63±1.39 mU/mL) but a smooth increased for FSH (4.61±2.49 to 5.39±2.65 mU/mL; P = 0.004) were shown after Plac treatment (LH P = 0.001 and FSH P = 0.002 between treatments). Furthermore, fasting glucose (106.8±23.2 to 101.1±25.7 mg/dL; P = 0.004), insulin (19.3±12.1 to 15.6±10.1 μU/mL; P = 0.010) and HOMA-IR (4.94±2.89 to 3.69±2.12; P = 0.001) decreased significantly during the CC treatment period, whereas no significant changes were observed in any of these parameters in the Plac treatment.A low dose of CC therapy was able to significantly increase serum T levels in all participants with mild modifications of clinical and metabolic parameters.EudraCT 2011-000439-10.