Endocrinological studies in undescended testes.

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 168 boys aged 2.5-16.8 years with unilateral or bilateral testicular maldescent. Urinary excretion of testosterone, delta4-androstenedione, LH and FSH was investigated. The results were related to chronological age, bone age and sexual maturation stage. Urinary testosterone excretion was elevated in unilateral and bilateral cases of undescended testis under 9 years of age. The pubertal increase of testosterone excretion seemed to be moderately delayed in the patients. In pubertal stage V the testosterone excretion was normal. The mean testosterone/androstenedione relationship was normal in all age groups up to 14.9 years and increased in patients above this age. After HCG stimulation, the testosterone excretion increased at all ages studied whereas the androstenedione excretion increased only in bilateral cases under 11 years of age. Urinary LH excretion was diminished in bilateral cases aged 6.0-7.9 years and elevated in unilateral cases in pubertal stage V. Urinary FSH excretion was normal below 8 years of age, moderately elevated in bilateral cases aged 8.0-11.9 years and increased in unilateral cases in pubertal stage V. Patients with bilateral anorchia in pubertal stage I, had normal basal testosterone and androstenedione excretion while the LH and FSH levels were increased. The findings in this study indicated that disturbances in the pituitary-gonadal function of cryptorchids might be operative from early childhood and throughout pubertal years.