Endocrine testicular function in HIV-infected outpatients.

We investigated endocrine testicular function in 100 HIV-infected men who were grouped according to the CDC criteria. Progression of the disease was associated with a 27% decrease in plasma oestradiol, which was the only parameter that was weakly correlated with CD4 cell count (r = 0.312, p <0.05). Individual data showed a decreased plasma concentration of total and free testosterone in 35% and 26% of the subjects, respectively, but we could not demonstrate an increased frequency of hypogonadism going along with a progression of the stage of disease. There was no significant correlation between androgen, SHBG or FSH levels and duration of HIV-infection, BMI or CD4 cell count. Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism was associated with an euthyroid sick state in a 15% subgroup of patients reporting a decrease in libido. Plasma T3 was significantly correlated with testosterone (r = 0.419, p <0.01) and mean plasma T3 was significantly decreased in 8 subjects suffering from erectile impotence. Thus, hypogonadism occurs frequently in HIV-infected outpatients. Like euthyroid sickness it does not seem to be a predictor for progression of the disease but an indicator of actual state of health.