Testosterone modulates serum leptin concentrations in a male patient with hypothalamic hypogonadism

J Endocrinol Invest. 2000 Apr;23(4):246-50. doi: 10.1007/BF03343716.

Abstract

Serial measurements of body mass index (BMI), serum concentrations of testosterone (T), estradiol (E) and leptin (L) were performed before and after gonadotropin (Gn) therapy in an 18-year-old male subject (BMI 25.4 kg/m2) with idiopathic hypothalamic hypogonadism (IHH). We also measured the BMI and serum concentrations of L in 99 age-matched healthy subjects. Serum L correlated significantly with BMI in control subjects (r=0.84, p<0.0001). Baseline serum concentrations of L in our case were markedly high and both T and E were very low, but Gn therapy resulted in a gradual decrease in L and improvement in T and E, finally reaching the control levels of BMI-matched subjects. Our results demonstrate that T is a powerful negative modulator of serum L independent of BMI in conditions associated with low T levels, such as IHH.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Body Composition
  • Body Mass Index
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / administration & dosage
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / therapeutic use
  • Estradiol / blood
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Humans
  • Hypogonadism / blood*
  • Hypogonadism / drug therapy
  • Hypogonadism / etiology
  • Hypothalamic Diseases / complications*
  • Hypothalamic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Leptin / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Menotropins / administration & dosage
  • Menotropins / therapeutic use
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Testosterone / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • Leptin
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Testosterone
  • Estradiol
  • Menotropins