GROWTH-HORMONE RESPONSE TO GROWTH HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE STIMULATION IN OLIGOZOOSPERMIC PATIENTS

Objective: To evaluate the GH response to growth hormone-releasing hor mone (GH-RH) stimulation in oligozoospermic men. Setting: Outpatient C linic of Andrology at the Fundacion Puigvert and the Department of Cli nical Chemistry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spai n. Patients: Fifteen oligozoospermic patients and 15 normozoospermic f ertile men matched for age and body mass index. Intervention: Endocrin e status was determined by assay of basal levels of gonadotropins (FSH , LH), T, E(2), inhibin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Ser um GH levels were measured before and after GH-RH administration. Resu lts: GH response to GH-RH was significantly greater in patients than i n controls. There was a positive correlation between the GH response a nd IGF-I levels in oligozoospermic patients only. Regression analysis showed a significant negative association of GH peak with inhibin afte r controlling for IGF-I in oligozoospermic patients. Conclusion: The r esults indicate that there is an altered responsiveness of pituitary t o GH-RH administration in oligozoospermic patients; this did not appea r to be due to the influence of gonadal steroid levels but rather to i nhibin or some related peptide.