PLASMA TESTOSTERONE CONCENTRATION IN PARAPLEGIC MEN

in Journal of Endocrinology
Authors:
S. MIZUTANI
Search for other papers by S. MIZUTANI in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
T. SONODA
Search for other papers by T. SONODA in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
K. MATSUMOTO
Search for other papers by K. MATSUMOTO in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
K. IWASA
Search for other papers by K. IWASA in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access
Rent on DeepDyve

Sign up for journal news

Over 50% of men having paraplegia due to traumatic lesions of the spinal cord or cauda equina show decreased spermatogenesis in varying degrees (Paulsen, 1968). The commonest pathology is arrested spermatogenesis with generalized hypoplasia of the germinal epithelium. Leydig cells usually appear normal, but the presence of nodular hyperplasia has been reported (Horne, Paull & Munro, 1948; Keye, 1956). Androgen production has been considered essentially normal judging from clinical symptoms, though most testes become smaller. Although urinary gonadotrophin excretion is reported to be low or absent in the majority of paraplegic men (Paulsen, 1968) and women (Durkan, 1968), there are no reports of plasma androgen concentrations. The concentration of testosterone in peripheral plasma from 51 paraplegic men after spinal cord injuries was therefore measured and compared with that of normal men.

The patients studied (aged 18–66 yr, average 37 yr) had been admitted to Osaka Labour Injury Hospital and the

 

  • Collapse
  • Expand