Studies on testicular function in children: Plasma concentrations of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate before and after stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (1)

Plasma concentrations of testosterone, D and DS have been determined in 16 normal children before and after HCG stimulation, finding that DS concentration was very low before the age of 7 years, increasing thereafter to reach levels very close to those found in adults before there was clinical evidence of the onset of puberty.

Abstract

Plasma concentrations of testosterone, D and DS, have been determined in 16 normal children before and after HCG stimulation. Mean testosterone levels were 31, 8 ± 10 mμg/100 ml. before HCG and 554 ± 121 mμg/100 ml. after HCG. D was studied in 6 children only. The mean values were 138 ± 40 mμg/100 ml. and 394 ± 204 mμg/100 ml. before and after HCG respectively. DS concentration was very low before the age of 7 years, increasing thereafter to reach levels very close to those found in adults before there was clinical evidence of the onset of puberty. In the group as a whole, the mean DS concentration before HCG was 27, 1 ± 16, 6 μg/100 ml. and after HCG 36, 4 ± 16, 9 μg/ 100 ml. the difference not being significant (p > 0, 05). However if subjects less than 8 years old were considered separately, the mean values were 5, 4 ± 2, 5 μg/100 ml. and 13, 9 ± 5, 5 μg/100 ml. before and after HCG and this difference is significant (p < 0, 02). In two boys with idiopathic precocious puberty, testosterone concentration was in the adult range and DS in the preadolescent range. Following testicular suppression with fluoxymesterone in both cases testosterone fell to the normal levels for children an DS decreased by more than 50%.