Abstract
To evaluate the GH response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) stimulation in oligozoospermic men. Outpatient Clinic of Andrology at the Fundación Puigvert and the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. Fifteen oligozoospermic patients and 15 normozoospermic fertile men matched for age and body mass index. Endocrine status was determined by assay of basal levels of gonadotropins (FSH, LH), T, E2, inhibin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Serum GH levels were measured before and after GH-RH administration. GH response to GH-RH was significantly greater in patients than in controls. There was a positive correlation between the GH response and IGF-I levels in oligozoospermic patients only. Regression analysis showed a significant negative association of GH peak with inhibin after controlling for IGF-I in oligozoospermic patients. The results indicate that there is an altered responsiveness of pituitary to GH-RH administration in oligozoospermic patients; this did not appear to be due to the influence of gonadal steroid levels but rather to inhibin or some related peptide.
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