Suppression of the high endogenous levels of plasma FSH in infertile men are associated with improved Sertoli cell function as reflected by elevated levels of plasma inhibin B.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Chorionic Gonadotropin and Leuprolide in this randomized controlled trial publication.

To evaluate the presence of a desensitization of FSH receptor on Sertoli cells in vivo, the researchers performed a controlled clinical study in 97 men affected by severe oligozoospermia.

Why It Was Studied

In vitro continuous stimulation of Sertoli cells with FSH leads to a desensitization of these cells to FSH action.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 97 men taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, men only.

On the basis of FSH and inhibin B plasma concentrations, these subjects were divided into three groups: group A, 33 subjects with high FSH and low inhibin B plasma levels; group B, 32 subjects with high FSH plasma levels and inhibin B concentrations at the lower limit of the normal range; and group C, 32 subjects with normal FSH and inhibin B plasma levels.

Patients with high FSH plasma levels (groups A and B) were prospectively randomized into two subgroups, called A1, A2, B1 and B2.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

Because people in this Chorionic Gonadotropin study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Subjects of groups A2, B2 and C were treated only with r-hFSH for the same period.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Chorionic Gonadotropin, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, Infertility, Male, Inhibins, Leuprolide and Osmolar Concentration.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Chorionic Gonadotropin and Leuprolide in 97 men.

Its findings take up roughly 4 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 2004 (Human reproduction (Oxford, England)), a journal based in England.

More context: the related hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) library page, all human trials.