Gonadotropin treatment of hypogonadotropic hypogonadal adolescents

Testosterone substitution, needed for normal physical development in male h ypogonadal adolescents, does not induce testicular growth. We treated 37 hy pogonadal adolescents with gonadotropins (hCG/hMG), to obtain complete viri lization during the first two years of treatment, to avoid psychological se quellae and to allow normal sexual development. Testicular volume increased significantly during therapy (from 1.98 +/- 1.2 to 9 +/- 3.3 mi), while te stosterone rose from 0.26 +/- 0.04 to 5.3 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, with worse results in adolescents with cryptorchidism. hCG/hMG treatment had a better outcome than testosterone during the induction of puberty, avoiding psychological problems induced by atrophic testes. Further long term studies are necessar y to evaluate whether early hCG/hMG treatment facilitates later spermatogen esis even in patients with cryptorchidism.