Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To evaluate the effect of androgen replacement therapy on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in in male patients with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH).

Material and methods: 36 male patient, mean age 32.2 (18–54)with IHH, admitted to the outpatient clinic of Endocrinology and Metabolism were included to the study. Patients in the study were divided into two groups as Testosterone (n=18) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) therapy (n=18) groups. Total testosterone, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipid profile, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet count were evaluated before and after 6 months of the treatment in all patients.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference according to FPG, triglyceride levels, MPV and platelet counts when all patients (n=36) were evaluated due to pre-treatment and post-treatment (P>0.05). However, ALT and LDL levels were detected statistically significantly lower after treatment (P>0.05), HDL, PDW and testosterone levels were significantly higher after treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant difference due to testosterone, FPG, ALT, lipid profile, MPV, PDW and platelet levels compared according to treatment (HCG (n=18), and testosterone replacement (n=18)) (P>0.05). While there was negative correlation with testosterone and ALT levels (r=−0.25, P=0.03), positive correlation was detected between testosterone and PDW (r=0.31, P=0.007).

Conclusion: Platelets are involved in homeostatic process and have an important role in atherosclerosis and arterial thrombosis. MPV and PDW are two markers of platelet activation, and have recently been recognised as risk predictors of cardiovascular diseases. Our study revealed that androgen replacement therapy may have beneficial effects on lipid profile and ALT and negative effects on platelet aggregation. Therefore, we think that this situation should be taken into consideration when androgen replacement therapy is planned.