Endocrine Abstracts

The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between hypothyroidism and androgen deficiency in men of mature age.

Material and methods: 60 men with primary hypothyroidism ranging in age from 21 to 60 years were studied. The men were divided into two age groups according to the periods of human ontogenesis – the group of the first period of mature age (from 21 to 35 years) and the second group of the mature age (from 36 to 60 years).

Results: Age-related changes in the hormonal status of the examined men in the first and second mature periods were related to the content of blood serum total and free testosterone. In the second period of mature age men, the content of total testosterone was 1.36 times lower and free testosterone – 1.54 times lower than in men in the first mature period. Reduction of testosterone levels in the older age group men were not accompanied by increased levels of gonadotropins in the blood. This fact may evidence the low sensitivity threshold of the pituitary-hypothalamic system to a decrease in the production of testosterone with age. In both men age groups with hypothyroidism the content of total testosterone in the blood serum was lower than in men without hypothyroidism. However, the influence of hypothyroidism was more expressed in men of the first mature period, in which the presence of hypothyroidism was associated with a decrease in the content of the hormone by 2.14 times. In addition the decreasing in this magnitude by 1.36 times was in men of the second period of mature age. The frequency of hypogonadism was 45.2% in men of the second period of mature age, including men without hypothyroidism – 32.9%, and with hypothyroidism – 61.7%. The correlation analysis established the presence of statistically significant (P <0.05) feedbacks between the level of total testosterone and the values of indicators characterizing hypothyroidism.

Conclusions: The presence of hypothyroidism is associated with androgen deficiency in men of the second period of mature age in 60% of cases, but, in comparison with men of the first period of mature age, clinical features of androgen deficiency are more expressed in the second period.