Evaluation of androgenic status in patients with primary hypothyroidism

Abstract

Background. Role of androgenic deficiency in men as a factor of disease pathogenesis is beyond doubt. Interaction of thyroid and sexual hormones in men with hypothyroidism remains controversial. The purpose was to evaluate androgenic status in men with primary hypothyroidism depending on its duration and state of compensation. Materials and methods. We have examined 45 male patients with primary hypothyroidism aged 35 to 60 years. Enrollment of men was conducted during outpatient visits and in-patient treatment in the endocrinology department of the Ternopil University hospital. Results. Decreased level of total testosterone (tТ) was detected in 42.2 % of patients with hypothyroidism. Thus, in 17.8 % of patients, tТ blood level was below 8.0 nM/l, and in 11 (24.4 %) men, this index was between 8.0 and 12.0 nM/l. According to the results of evaluating the content of free testosterone, the incidence of laboratory hypogonadism in men with hypothyroidism appeared to be higher than when determining tТ. The degree of hypothyroidism compensation did not influence significantly the average levels of gonadotropic and sexual hormones. Conclusions. Levels of sex hormone-binding globulin were significantly decreased in 46.7 % of patients with hypothyroidism as compared to the control group. The average levels of estradiol in the examined patients did not differ significantly from the average indexes in men from the control group. The obtained data may indicate a combined lesion of the central and peripheral links of the pituitary-gonadal system in men with hypothyroidism.

Keywords

• hypothyroidism
• testosterone
• sex hormone-bin­ding globulin
• androgen deficiency