Korean J Urol.  2004 Jan;45(1):37-42.

The Usefulness of GnRH Stimulation Test as a Predictor for Testicular Dysfunction in Adolescent Varicocele

• Kim ES
• Chung JY
• Noh CH

Abstract

PURPOSE: We analyzed the RESULTS of the GnRH stimulation test to assess its usefulness as a predictor for testicular dysfunction in adolescent varicocele.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We studied 20 adolescents with unilateral varicocele from January 1998 to January 2001. Eight patients were grade II and 12 were grade III. Testicular volume was measured using an orchidometer. The responses of the gonadotropins to GnRH stimulus were compared between grade II and III patients. All patients had varicocelectomy and 7 were followed up.
RESULTS
After GnRH stimulus, all patients except one showed excessive response in LH and FSH. LH response(8-fold greater than the baseline) was more exaggerated than that of FSH(1.8-fold greater than the baseline). The 12 patients of grade III varicocele presented greater excessive responses in LH and FSH to GnRH stimulus than those of grade II(p>0.05). After surgical treatment, the exaggerated gonadotropin response to GnRH was not normalized. But the response was less exaggerated, suggesting an improvement of testicular dysfunction.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the grade of the varicocele was correlated with the excessive responses of the gonadotropins to the GnRH stimulus. Nevertheless, we suggest that the deterioration of the testicular function in adolescents with varicocele was a progressive phenomenon. We think that the GnRH stimulation test could be useful in assessing the testicular dysfunction in adolescent varicocele patients.

Keyword

Varicocele; Dysfunction; GnRH

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone*
Gonadotropins
Humans
Varicocele*
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Gonadotropins