EFFECTS OF GONADOTROPIN AND TESTOSTERONE TREATMENTS ON PLASMA LEPTIN LEVELS IN MALE-PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC HYPOGONADOTROPIC HYPOGONADISM AND KLINEFELTERS-SYNDROME

Since little is known about the effects of gonadotropin and testostero ne treatment on leptin levels in male hypogonadism, we determined fast ing plasma leptin levels before and 3 months after treatment in 21 pat ients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH), 16 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome and 20 male controls. Patients with IHH w ere treated with hCG/human menopausal gonadotropin, whereas patients w ith Klinefelter's syndrome received T treatment. Plasma leptin levels were measured by an RIA with a sensitivity of 0.5 mu g/L. Mean leptin levels in patients with IHH before treatment (9.23 +/- 4.09 mu g/L) we re not significantly different from those in patients with Klinefelter 's syndrome (7.29 +/- 5.05 mu g/L; z = -1.41; P = 0.15). Leptin levels in both IHH and Klinefelter's syndrome groups were, however, signific antly higher than in the normal men (3.91 +/- 1.67 mu g/L) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively). Mean leptin levels did not change signifi cantly 3 months after the initiation of gonadotropin (11.6 +/- 6.44 mu g/L) or T (8.32 +/- 5.17 mu g/L) treatment in either IHH or Klinefelt er's syndrome. Our study demonstrated that mean plasma leptin levels a re not influenced by short-term gonadotropin or T treatment in male hy pogonadism.