Circulating Levels of Inhibin in Hemodialysis Males

Abstract

Serum concentrations of LH, FSH, testosterone, and inhibin were measured in 65 hemodialysis male patients and 60 healthy men. In hemodialysis patients, serum levels of LH, FSH, and inhibin were significantly elevated compared to the controls (p < 0.001). However, serum testosterone level was significantly reduced in hemodialysis males (p < 0.01). Neither serum LH nor FSH correlated with inhibin in the control and hemodialysis males. In hemodialysis patients, serum inhibin showed a positive correlation with serum creatinine (p < 0.05). It would appear that an elevated level of serum inhibin is caused by a decreased metabolic clearance rate or testicular dysfunction due to chronic renal failure, and indicates the abnormality of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis leading to hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in hemodialysis males.

Key Words:

• gonadotropin
• hemodialysis
• inhibin
• testosterone