Late-onset hypogonadism: the advantages of treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin rather than testosterone

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of groups.

	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Variables	Gonasi	Tostrex	Nebid	Testoviron
Hormonal parameters
Total testosterone	1.98 (1.6–2.10)	1.6 (1.5–1.7)	1.65 (1.50–1.80)	1.55 (1.50–1.70)
LH	2.2 (1.8–2.85)	2.0 (1.85–2.30)	2.0 (1.85–2.05)	1.90 (1.80–2.30)
FSH	2.2 (2.1–3.25)	2.2 (1.95–2.85)	2.2 (1.75–2.70)	2.0 (1.60–2.65)
Estradiol	25.0 (15.5–32.5)	30.0 (14.0–36.5)	30.0 (16.0–37.5)	20.0 (11.0–29.0)
PRL	111.0 (92.5–160.0)	140.0 (105.5–175.0)	111.0 (95.0–142.0)	120.0 (100.0–170.0)
Vitamin D	12.0 (7.0–17.0)	12.0 (9.0–17.0)	12.0 (11.0–17.5)	8.0 (5.5–21.5)
TSH	1.9 (1.0–3.5)	1.6 (1.2–3.2)	1.4 (0.8–3.8)	1.3 (0.0–3.5)
Anthropometric and metabolic parameters
Insulin	20.0 (7.0–2.5)	18.0 (4.5–21.0)	12.0 (5.0–24.0)	18.30 (5.0–27.5)
HOMA	4.3 (1.4–4.8)	3.6 (0.95–4.8)	2.5 (1.0–5.15)	3.3 (1.0–5.5)
Cholesterol	200.0 (178.0–245.0)	245.0 (167.5–265.0)	250.0 (195.0–270.0)	188.0 (161.0–252.5)
HDL	37.0 (32.5–41.0)	37.0 (33.5–41.5)	40.0 (33.0–42.0)	40.0 (35.5–40.5)
Triglycerides	230.0 (178.0–270.0)	200.0 (145.5–244.5)	255.0 (172.0–277.5)	233.0 (139.0–284.0)
Weight	78.0 (69.0–84.0)	70.0 (70.0–84.0)	76.0 (71.0–80.0)	730.0 (72.5–79.0)
Waist circumference	96.0 (86.0–100.0)	88.0 (80.0–104.0)	97.0 (94.0–99.0)	96.0 (96.0–101.0)
Lean mass	76.0 (71.0–81.0)	80.0 (72.5–83.5)	80.0 (76.0–81.5)	78.0 (74.5–81.5)
Fat mass	22.0 (20.0–24.5)	21.0 (18.0–22.5)	22.0 (19.0–22.5)	21.0 (19.0–22.0)
Sperm parameters
Density	25.0 (10.0–32.0)	24.0 (10.0–36.0)	25.0 (10.0–32.0)	25.0 (10.0–32.0)
Progressive motility	15.0 (9.0–24.5)	10.0 (7.5–17.5)	16.0 (12.5–28.0)	14.0 (8.0–24.0)
Normal form	4.0 (2.5–6.5)	6.0 (3.5–8.5)	6.0 (5.0–8.0)	6.0 (3.5–8.0)
Ejaculate volume	1.6 (1.1–1.8)	1.5 (1.15–1.55)	1.5 (1.2–2.0)	1.5 (1.35–1.85)
Leukocytes	0.5 (0.25–0.70)	0.40 (0.25–0.75)	0.50 (0.30–0.85)	0.70 (0.60–0.80)
Safety parameters
PSA	0.2 (0.1,0.95)	0.8 (0.35,1.15)	0.5 (0.2,1.15)	0.8 (0.35,1.3)
Prostate volume	28.0 (25.5,33.0)	25.0 (21.0,29.0)	22.0 (20.0,32.5)	25.0 (19.0,31.0)
Haematocrit	40.0 (38.0–46.0)	41.0 (36.0–45.0)	38.0 (35.0–45.0)	40.0 (37.0–46.0)
Questionnaires
IIEF–5	6.0 (5.5–8.5)	7.0 (6.0–9.5)	7.0 (6.0–9.5)	7.0 (6.0–10.5)
IPSS	4.0 (3.0–5.5)	4.0 (2.5–5.0)	4.0 (3.0–6.0)	3.0 (2.0–5.5)
AMS	46.0 (43.0–49.0)	44.0 (39.0–50.0)	44.0 (40.0–49.0)	46.0 (41.0–49.0)

Table 2. Median differences from baseline to final visit among groups with intergroup analysis.

	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Variables	Gonasi	Tostrex	Nebid	Testoviron
Hormonal parameters
Change from baseline of total testosterone, median (IQR)	1.2 (1.1,1.3)^b	0.9 (0.5,1.0)^d,e	1.6 (1.5,1.75)^a,f	1.3 (1.3,1.45)
Change from baseline of LH, median (IQR)	−1.1 (−1.4,0.85)^a	0.60 (−0.9,0.45)	−1.1 (−1.3,−0.95)^a	−1.1 (−1.35,−1.0)^a
Change from baseline of FSH, median (IQR)	−0.2 (−0.5,−0.10)	−0.2 (−0.35,−0.05)	−0.2 (−0.2,−0.10)	−0.30 (0.90,0.0)
Change from baseline of estradiol, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.0,−4.0)^a,b,c	4.0 (1.0,−8.5)	8.0 (5.0,−10.0)	10.0 (5.5,14.5)
Change from baseline of vitamin D, median (IQR)	22.0 (17.0,25.0)^a,b,c	4.0 (0.0,4.0)	4.0 (0.0,4.5)	3.0 (0.0,3.5)
Anthropometric and metabolic parameters
Change from baseline of HGT, median (IQR)	−4.0 (−7.0,0.0)	−1.0 (−7.5,0.0)	0.0 (−2.0,0.0)	0.0 (−1.0,0.0)
Change from baseline of insulin, median (IQR)	−10.0 (−10.5,−1.0)	−6.0 (−8.5,−1.5)	−4.0 (−11.0,1.0)	−8.0 (−12.5,0.0)
Change from baseline of HOMA, median (IQR)	−2.3 (−2.6,0.0)	−1.3 (2.15,−0.05)	−0.8 (−.24,0.0)	−1.4 (−2.4,0.0)
Change from baseline of cholesterol, median (IQR)	−20.0 (−33.0,15.0)	−10.0 (−47.5,−7.5)	−30.0 (−40.0,−25.0)	−45.0 (−62.5,−27.5)
Change from baseline of HDL, median (IQR)	3.0 (1.5,3.5)	1.0 (0.0,−1.0)	5.50 (0.5,−7.0)	3.0 (1.0,−6.0)
Change from baseline of triglycerides, median (IQR)	−33.0 (−50.0,−15.5)	−33.0 (−38.5,−22.0)	−44.0 (−50.5,−15.0)	−50.0 (−83.0,−22.0)
Change from baseline of weight, median (IQR)	−2.0 (−4.0,−1.0)	−2.0 (−2.0,0.0)	−2.0 (−2.0,−0.5)	0.0 (−2.0,0.0)
Change from baseline of waist circumference, median (IQR)	−1.0 (−1.5,0.0)	.0 (−2.0,0.0)	−2.0 (−2.0,−0.5)	−1.0 (−3.0,0.0)
Change from baseline of loan mass, median (IQR)	3.0 (0.5,4.0)	1.0 (0.5,2.0)	1.0 (0.0,−2.5)	1.0 (0.0,2.5)
Change from baseline of fat mass, median (IQR)	−2.0 (−4.0,−2.0)	−2.0 (−2.5,−1.0)	−1.0 (−3.0,−0.5)	−1.0 (−3.0,0.0)
Sperm parameters
Change from baseline of density, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.5,−1.5)^a,b,c	−17.0 (−28.5,−7.0)	−22.0 (−26.5,−7.0)	−22.0 (−26.0,−6.5)
Change from baseline of progressive motility, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.0,1.0)^a,b,c	−7.0 (−10.0,−5.0)	−13.0 (−22.0,−9.5)	−11.0 (−17.5,−5.0)
Change from baseline of normal forms, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.0,1.0)	−3.0 (−6.5,−2.0)	−4.0 (−6.5,−2.0)	−4.0 (−6.0,−2.0)
Change from baseline of ejaculate volume, median (IQR)	0.2 (0.2,0.4)	0.1 (0.1,0.15)	0.1 (0.1,0.2)	0.2 (0.1,0.2)
Change from baseline of leukocytes, median (IQR)	−0.3 (−0.5,−0.1)	0.0 (−0.55,0.0)	0.0 (−0.65,0.0)	−0.4 (−0.55,0.0)
Safety parameters
Change from baseline of haematocrit, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.5,2.5)^a,b,c	4.0 (1.5,4.5)^d,e	10.0 (8.0,10.0)	8.0 (6.0,10.0)
Change from baseline of PSA, median (IQR)	0.10 (0.10,0.10)^a,b,c	0.40 (0.20,0.40)^d,e	0.80 (0.75,0.95)	0.70 (0.6,1.0)
Change from baseline of prostate volume, median (IQR)	5.0 (3.5,7.5)^a,b,c	12.0 (6.5,17.0)	15.0 (5.5,19.0)	14.0 (5.0,18.5)
Questionnaires
Change from baseline of IIEF-5, median (IQR)	4.0 (2.0,4.5)	3.0 (1.0,3.0)	2.0 (1.0,3.5)	1.0 (0.5,6.5)
Change from baseline of IPSS, median (IQR)	1.0 (0.0,2.0)	1.0 (0.0,2.0)	1.0 (0.0,2.0)	2.0 (0.0,3.0)
Change from baseline of AMS, median (IQR)	−10.0 (−11.0,−8.0)	−6.0 (−10.0,−4.5)	−9.0 (−10.0,−6.0)	−10.0 (−10.0,−6.0)

^ap < 0.05 versus Group 2.

^bp < 0.05 versus Group 3.

^cp < 0.05 versus Group 4.

^dp < 0.05 versus Group 3.

^ep < 0.05 versus Group 4.

^fp < 0.05 versus Group 4.

Figure 1. Mean values of the main modified parameters in the different groups after the pharmacological treatment.