A FSH-Secreting Pituitary Macroadenoma Causing A Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome

Abstract

FSH-secreting pituitary adenomas can affect sexual and reproductive function. In this article, we have reported the case of a 32-year-old male with secondary infertility. The patient had sexual and reproductive disturbances. The test results of the blood samples indicated obviously decreased testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels. Based on previous hormonal results, the patient received pituitary stimulation and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) tests. Both follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) showed low response during the pituitary stimulation test. The results of the hCG test indicated that T/E2 could recover to a normal level. In addition, this patient was diagnosed with pituitary macroadenoma, which was supported by the pituitary MRI. The man’s sexual and reproductive functions recovered following surgery. The pathological results confirmed that the tumor tissue was an FSH-secreting pituitary adenoma by immunohistochemical staining. The purpose of this report was to review the relative literature and discuss the influence of FSH-secreting pituitary adenomas on hormones through the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis.

Keywords

• infertility
• pituitary adenoma
• semen analysis