Abstract
Monachidism provides a model to study the changes of FSH, LH and testosterone (T) secretion in relation to testicular growth before puberty. 7 congenital monorchid subjects (EM) aged 8-12 years and 3 post-surgical monorchid subjects (SM) aged 9 years were compared with a control group of 30 children aged 8-12 years. The response to LHRH (100 μg/m2/iv) and to HCG (1500 iu × 3 on alternate days) was evaluated. Monorahid subjects of both types had an increased mean testicular volume of 4.8 ± 1.8 (controls 1.72 ± 0.65) and comparable responses to LHRH with mean FSH peak values of 3.35 ± 1.99 mU/ml superior to controls (1.90 ± 0.51 mU/ml, p < 0.001). However the mean T response to HCG was normal in CM (2.93 ± 0.74 ng/ml) and decreased in SM (1.68 ± 0.35 ng/ml) with control values of 2.75 ± 0.35 ng/ml. In conclusion, congenital absence of one testis stimulates FSH secretion and testicular growth without change of the response to HCG.
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