Gonadotropins, testosterone and prolactin in men with abnormal semen findings and an evaluation of the hormone profile.

Over a 4-year period, 259 men were investigated regarding primary (86.5%) or secondary (13.5%) infertility. Men with azoospermia had significantly higher concentrations of FSH and LH and lower concentrations of testosterone than those with spermatozoa. High concentrations of FSH and LH in serum were found in case of low sperm density. Men with low testicular volume had high concentrations of FSH and LH and low concentrations of testosterone. FSH was closely correlated with LH and also with total testicular volume. A negative correlation was found between both gonadotropins and testosterone. The correlation between LH and testosterone was stronger in axoospermic men than in those with spermatozoa in semen. Serum concentrations of prolactin were higher in men with high sperm motility than among men with low motility of spermatozoa. Otherwise, prolactin concentrations were not correlated either with sperm density or with the morphology of spermatozoa or total testicular volume. A 'hormone profile' of FSH, LH and testosterone concentrations is suggested useful in the routine investigation of the infertile man, as more information is given by this profile than by FSH concentrations alone.