REVERSIBLE MALE-INFERTILITY IN LATE ONSET CONGENITAL ADRENAL-HYPERPLASIA

We have studied a male patient who presented with secondary infertility. His eldest daughter suffers from late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Based on his hormonal profile, adrenal and gonadal stimulation tests, semen analyses and testicular biopsy he was diagnosed as suffering from the same disease as his daughter. Steroid treatment yielded improvement in all the parameters mentioned above. Four months later his wife became pregnant and he fathered a child. Suppression of gonadotropin secretion due to overproduction of adrenal androgens would appear to be the reason for the failure of testicular maturation and spermatogenesis in this patient. We conclude: 1) glucocorticoid treatment is indicated in infertile males suffering from nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency; 2) Late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia should be suspected in any male infertility of unknown origin.