Gonadal function and response to growth hormone (GH) in boys with isolated GH deficiency and to GH and gonadotropins in boys with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies

Objective: To evaluate spermatogenesis in patients with isolated GH deficiency and multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. Design: Treatment of isolated GH-deficient patients with recombinant human GH (weekly dose of 0.7 IU/kg) for 5.3 +/- 0.4 (mean +/- SD) years and cotreatment of multiple pituitary deficient patients with GH at the same dosage for 8.0 +/- 0.4 years and hCG (2,000 IU, three times per week) and hMG (500 TU, two times per week) for 13.7 +/- 1.1 months. Setting: Endocrine Pediatric Unit. Patients: Eight patients affected by isolated GH deficiency and seven by multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. Main Outcome Measures: Serum LH, FSH, and T, testicular volume, semen volume, density, count, and motility. Results: Patients with isolated GH deficiency completed their pubertal development in 19.0 +/- 3.5 months and patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies in 13.7 +/- 1.1 months. At the end of puberty, the two groups of patients had similar testicular volume, penis size, sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, although T levels and seminal volume were lower in isolated GH-deficient patients than in multiple pituitary deficient patients. Conclusions: The two groups of patients, treated specifically for their identified hormonal deficiencies, in the end had similar satisfactory reproductive results.