Jabarnes2006: Next time you see your doc, ask him what he thinks about this study.
Concomitant Intramuscular Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Preserves Spermatogenesis in Men Undergoing Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Tung-Chin Hsieh, Alexander W. Pastuszak, Kathleen Hwang and Larry I. Lipshultz*,†
From the Division of Urology, University of California-San Diego (TCH), San Diego, California, Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of
Medicine (AWP, LIL), Houston, Texas, and Department of Urology (KH), Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island
Purpose: Testosterone replacement therapy results in decreased serum gonadotropins and intratesticular testosterone, and impairs spermatogenesis, leading to azoospermia in 40% of patients. However, intratesticular testosterone can be maintained during testosterone replacement therapy with co-administration of low dose human chorionic gonadotropin, which may support continued spermatogenesis in patients on testosterone replacement therapy.
Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of hypogonadal men treated with testosterone replacement therapy and concomitant low dose human chorionic gonadotropin. Testosterone replacement consisted of daily topical gel or weekly intramuscular injection with intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin (500 IU) every other day. Serum and free testosterone, estradiol, semen parameters and pregnancy rates were evaluated before and during therapy.
Results: A total of 26 men with a mean age of 35.9 years were included in the study. Mean followup was 6.2 months. Of the men 19 were treated with injectable testosterone and 7 were treated with transdermal gel. Mean serum hormone levels before vs during treatment were testosterone 207.2 vs 1,055.5 ng/dl (p <0.0001), free testosterone 8.1 vs 20.4 pg/ml (p = 0.02) and estradiol 2.2 vs 3.7 pg/ml (p = 0.11). Pretreatment semen parameters were volume 2.9 ml, density 35.2 million per ml, motility 49.0% and forward progression 2.3. No differences in semen parameters were observed during greater than 1 year of followup. No impact on semen parameters was observed as a function of testosterone formuation. No patient became azoospermic during concomitant testosterone replacement and human chorionic gonadotropin therapy. Nine of 26 men contributed to pregnancy with the partner during followup.
Conclusions: Low dose human chorionic gonadotropin appears to maintain se-men parameters in hypogonadal men on testosterone replacement therapy. Concurrent testosterone replacement and human chorionic gonadotropin use may preserve fertility in hypogonadal males who desire fertility preservation while on testosterone replacement therapy.
RESULTS
A total of 31 consecutive hypogonadal men who desired fertility preservation were identified for study
TRT:
* AndroGel® (5 gm daily) in 2 patients and Testim® (5 gm daily) in 5.
† Testosterone enanthate (200 mg weekly) in 2 patients and testosterone cypi- onate (200 mg weekly) in 17.
In 26 of these men complete data were available on semen parameters and serum hormone quantitation before and after TRT. The average ± SD age of our cohort was 35.9 ± 9.5 years. Men were followed a mean of 6.2 ± 4.9 months and up to 18 months (table 1). Of the men 19 men were treated with injectable T formulations, while 7 used transdermal gels. All men received intramuscular HCG (500 IU) every other day.
In the cohort mean serum hormone levels before vs during treatment were T 207.2 ± 99.2 vs 1,055.5 ± 420.9 ng/dl (p <0.0001), FT 8.1 ± 3.9 vs 20.4 ± 13.5 ng/dl (p = 0.02) and E 2.2 ± 1.0 vs 3.7 ± 2.6 ng/dl (p = 0.11), supporting the efficacy of TRT in these men. Mean pretreatment semen parameters were volume 2.9 ± 1.4 ml, density 35.2 ± 29.6 million per ml, motility 49.0% ± 10.4%, FP 2.3 ± 0.3 and TMS count 84.6 ± 82.4 million.
To ascertain the effects of exogenous TRT and HCG on semen parameters the men were followed at 2 to 4-months intervals with semen parameters and hormonal assessment compared to pretreatment parameters. A statistically significant decrease in se- men volume was observed at 1 to 2 months of followup (p = 0.04). This small difference was not observed at any other followup point. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were noted in other semen parameters at any followup time. No significant differences were observed in semen parameters between the injectable and transdermal TRT groups. Taken together, these data indicate that concomitant HCG therapy in the setting of TRT is effective for preserving semen parameters.