Serum testosterone levels during early pregnancy in patients developing preeclampsia

Male hypogonadism is “a clinical syndrome that results from failure of the testis to produce physiological concentrations of testosterone and/or a normal number of spermatozoa due to pathology at one or more levels of the hypothalamic– pituitary–testicular axis”. The diagnostic protocol of male hypogonadism includes accurate medical history, physical exam, as well as hormone assays and instrumental evaluation. Basal hormonal evaluation of serum testosterone, LH, and FSH is important in the evaluation of diseases of the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis. Total testosterone levels < 8 nmol/l profoundly suggest the diagnosis of hypogonadism. An inadequate androgen status is moreover possible if the total testosterone levels are 8-12 nmol/L. In this “grey zone” the diagnosis of hypogonadism is debated and the appropriateness for treating these patients with testosterone should be fostered by symptoms, although often non-specific. Up to now, no markers of androgen tissue action can be used in clinical practice. The identification of markers of androgens action might be useful in supporting diagnosis, Testosterone Replacement Treatment (TRT) and clinical follow-up. The aim of this review is to analyze the main findings of recent studies in the field of discovering putative diagnostic markers of male hypogonadism in seminal plasma by proteomic techniques. The identified proteins might represent a “molecular androtest” useful as a seminal fingerprint of male hypogonadism, for the diagnosis of patients with moderate grades of testosterone reduction and in the follow-up of testosterone replacement treatment.

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Effects of exogenous adiponectin supplementation in early pregnant PCOS mice on the metabolic syndrome of adult female offspring

Journal of Ovarian Research ◽

10.1186/s13048-020-00755-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Meng Zuo ◽

Guotao Liao ◽

Wenqian Zhang ◽

Dan Xu ◽

Juan Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adult Female ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Testosterone Level ◽

Metabolic Disorders ◽

Serum Testosterone ◽

Female Offspring ◽

Metabolic Phenotype ◽

Serum Testosterone Level ◽

The Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Pcos Group

Abstract Objective PCOS is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder with both reproductive and metabolic abnormalities. At present, PCOS has been confirmed to have a certain genetic background. Compared with healthy women, the vast majority of PCOS patients have hyperandrogenemia, and this excessive androgen exposure during pregnancy may affect the development of female fetuses. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of adiponectin intervention during early pregnancy of obese mice with PCOS on the metabolic phenotype of adult female offspring. Methods After the PCOS model was established, C57BL/6J mice were divided into maternal-control, maternal-PCOS, and maternal-PCOS + APN groups. DHEA-induced PCOS mice were supplemented with adiponectin (10 mg/kg/day) in the early pregnancy in order to eliminate adverse hormone exposure and then traced for endocrine indicators in their adult female offspring, which were observed for metabolism syndrome or endocrine disturbance and exhibited the main effects of APN. To further explore the underlying mechanism, the relative expressions of phosphorylated AMPK, PI3K, and Akt were detected in the ovaries of offspring mice. Results The serum testosterone level of the maternal-PCOS + APN group in early pregnancy was significantly lower than that of the maternal-PCOS group (p < 0.01). The serum testosterone level in the offspring-PCOS + APN group was significantly lower than in the offspring-PCOS group (p <0.05), the diestrus time characterized by massive granulocyte aggregation in the estrus cycle was significantly shorter than in the offspring-PCOS group (p<0.05), and the phenotypes of PCOS-like reproductive disorders and metabolic disorders, such as obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperlipidemia, were also significantly improved in the offspring-PCOS + APN group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression levels of phosphorylated AMPK, PI3K, and Akt in the offspring-PCOS group were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while those in the offspring-PCOS + APN group were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Conclusions APN intervention in early pregnancy significantly reduced the adverse effects of maternal obesity and high androgen levels during pregnancy on female offspring and corrected the PCOS-like endocrine phenotype and metabolic disorders of adult female offspring. This effect may be caused by the activation of the AMPK/PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in PCOS offspring mice.

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Testosterone in Female Depression: A Meta-Analysis and Mendelian Randomization Study

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11030409 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 409

Author(s):

Dhruba Tara Maharjan ◽

Ali Alamdar Shah Syed ◽

Guan Ning Lin ◽

Weihai Ying

Keyword(s):

Mendelian Randomization ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Menopausal Status ◽

Serum Testosterone ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Testosterone Levels ◽

Mendelian Randomization Analysis ◽

The Difference ◽

Diagnostic Capabilities ◽

Randomization Analysis

Testosterone’s role in female depression is not well understood, with studies reporting conflicting results. Here, we use meta-analytical and Mendelian randomization techniques to determine whether serum testosterone levels differ between depressed and healthy women and whether such a relationship is casual. Our meta-analysis shows a significant association between absolute serum testosterone levels and female depression, which remains true for the premenopausal group while achieving borderline significance in the postmenopausal group. The results from our Mendelian randomization analysis failed to show any causal relationship between testosterone and depression. Our results show that women with depression do indeed display significantly different serum levels of testosterone. However, the directions of the effect of this relationship are conflicting and may be due to menopausal status. Since our Mendelian randomization analysis was insignificant, the difference in testosterone levels between healthy and depressed women is most likely a manifestation of the disease itself. Further studies could be carried out to leverage this newfound insight into better diagnostic capabilities culminating in early intervention in female depression.

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Short-term adverse effects of testosterone used for priming in prepubertal boys before growth hormone stimulation test

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2017-0280 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 21-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Andrea Albrecht ◽

Theresa Penger ◽

Michaela Marx ◽

Karin Hirsch ◽

Helmuth G. Dörr

Keyword(s):

Growth Hormone ◽

Side Effects ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Side Effect ◽

Serum Testosterone ◽

Low Flow ◽

Effect Rate ◽

Testosterone Levels ◽

Testicular Pain ◽

Prepubertal Boys

AbstractBackground:Despite the fact that priming with sex steroids in prepubertal children before growth hormone (GH) provocative tests is recommended, there is an ongoing controversial discussion about the appropriate age of the children, the drug used for priming, the dose and the period between priming and the GH test. Interestingly, there is no discussion on the safety of this procedure. To date, only little data have been available on the possible side effects of priming with testosterone.Methods:We analyzed the outcome in 188 short-statured prepubertal boys who had been primed with testosterone enanthate (n=136: 50 mg; n=51: 125 mg, and accidentally one boy with 250 mg) 7 days prior to the GH test. Serum testosterone levels were measured on the day of the GH test in 99 boys.Results:Overall, only five boys developed adverse side effects. Two boys (dose 125 mg) showed severe low-flow priapism and had to undergo decompression of the corpora cavernosa. One boy suffered from self-limiting priapism and testicular pain (dose 50 mg). Two patients reported testicular pain (each dose 50 mg). The single patient with 250 mg testosterone did not show any adverse effects. The total side effect rate was 2.7%. The serum testosterone levels of the boys with side effects were not different from the testosterone levels of the boys without any side effects.Conclusions:Parents and patients should be informed about the possible side effects of priming with testosterone such as priapism and testicular pain. However, the overall side effect rate is low. We found no correlation between the outcome and the testosterone dose used and/or the level of serum testosterone.

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