HYPOPHYSO‐GONADAL FUNCTION IN THE DIABETIC CHILD

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Abstract
Diabetic boys (5 with a family history of diabetes and 9 without) and 29 short normal boys were studied. A gonadal function test (2.0 IU of hCG [human chorionic gonadotropin] i.m. for 3 days and plasma testosterone assay before and after the hCG administration) as well as an LH-RH [luteinizing hormone releasing hormone] test (50 .mu.g i.v.) were carried out. While basal testosterone level was similar in the 2 groups of children, it was significantly lower after hCG than the mean value of the control group. This difference was mainly observed in those patients with a family history of diabetes. In the diabetic children, basal LH [luteinizing hormone] level was normal and the pituitary LH reserve was lower than in the control group. Both basal FSH [follicle stimulating hormone] level and FSH pituitary reserve were lower than in normal children. An alteration in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal function was already evident in the diabetic child.