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  • Abstract: adrenarche x
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  • Abstract: Gender x
  • Abstract: Hypogonadism x
  • Abstract: infertility x
  • Abstract: Kallmann x
  • Abstract: Klinefelter x
  • Abstract: menarche x
  • Abstract: menopause x
  • Abstract: testes x
  • Abstract: transsexual x
  • Abstract: Turner x
  • Abstract: follicles x
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Alan D Rogol Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

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The overall incidence of sex chromosome aneuploidies is approximately 1 per 500 live-born infants, but far more common at conception. I shall review the fertility aspects of the sex chromosome trisomies, XXY, XYY, and XXX, with special reference to the karyotype 45,X/47,XXX. Each has a ‘specific’ (but variable) phenotype but may be modified by mosaicism. Although the alterations in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis are important (and discussed), the emphasis here is on potential fertility and if one might predict that at various epochs within an individual’s life span: fetal, ‘mini’-puberty, childhood, puberty, and adulthood. The reproductive axis is often affected in females with the 47,XXX karyotype with diminished ovarian reserve and accelerated loss of ovarian function. Fewer than 5% of females with Turner syndrome have the 45,X/47,XXX karyotype. They have taller stature and less severe fertility issues compared to females with the 45,X or other forms of Turner syndrome mosaicism. For the 47,XXY karyotype, non-obstructive azoospermia is almost universal with sperm retrieval by micro-testicular sperm extraction possible in slightly fewer than half of the men. Men with the 47,XYY karyotype have normal to large testes and much less testicular dysfunction than those with the 47,XXY karyotype. They do have a slight increase in infertility compared to the reference population but not nearly as severe as those with the 47,XXY karyotype. Assisted reproductive technology, especially micro-testicular sperm extraction, has an important role, especially for those with 47,XXY; however, more recent data show promising techniques for the in vitro maturation of spermatogonial stem cells and 3D organoids in culture. Assisted reproductive technology is more complex for the female, but vitrification of oocytes has shown promising advances.

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Helene Bandsholm Leere Tallaksen Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Emma B Johannsen Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Jesper Just Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Mette Hansen Viuff Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Claus H Gravholt Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Anne Skakkebæk Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

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Sex chromosome abnormalities (SCAs) are chromosomal disorders with either a complete or partial loss or gain of sex chromosomes. The most frequent SCAs include Turner syndrome (45,X), Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY), Trisomy X syndrome (47,XXX), and Double Y syndrome (47,XYY). The phenotype seen in SCAs is highly variable and may not merely be due to the direct genomic imbalance from altered sex chromosome gene dosage but also due to additive alterations in gene networks and regulatory pathways across the genome as well as individual genetic modifiers. This review summarizes the current insight into the genomics of SCAs. In addition, future directions of research that can contribute to decipher the genomics of SCA are discussed such as single-cell omics, spatial transcriptomics, system biology thinking, human-induced pluripotent stem cells, and animal models, and how these data may be combined to bridge the gap between genomics and the clinical phenotype.

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Andre Madsen Hormone Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Anders Juul Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Lise Aksglaede Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Objective

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is the most common sex chromosome disorder and genetic cause of infertility in males. A highly variable phenotype contributes to the fact that a large proportion of cases are never diagnosed. Typical hallmarks in adults include small testes and azoospermia which may prompt biochemical evaluation that typically shows extremely high follicle-stimulating hormone and low/undetectable inhibin B serum concentrations. However, in prepubertal KS individuals, biochemical parameters are largely overlapping those of prepubertal controls. We aimed to characterize clinical profiles of prepubertal boys with KS in relation to controls and to develop a novel biochemical classification model to identify KS before puberty.

Methods

Retrospective, longitudinal data from 15 prepubertal boys with KS and data from 1475 controls were used to calculate age- and sex-adjusted standard deviation scores (SDS) for height and serum concentrations of reproductive hormones and used to infer a decision tree classification model for KS.

Results

Individual reproductive hormones were low but within reference ranges and did not discriminate KS from controls. Clinical and biochemical profiles including age- and sex-adjusted SDS from multiple reference curves provided input data to train a ‘random forest’ machine learning (ML) model for the detection of KS. Applied to unseen data, the ML model achieved a classification accuracy of 78% (95% CI, 61–94%).

Conclusions

Supervised ML applied to clinically relevant variables enabled computational classification of control and KS profiles. The application of age- and sex-adjusted SDS provided robust predictions irrespective of age. Specialized ML models applied to combined reproductive hormone concentrations may be useful diagnostic tools to improve the identification of prepubertal boys with KS.

Open access
Elinor Chelsom Vogt Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

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Francisco Gómez Real Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

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Eystein Sverre Husebye Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

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Sigridur Björnsdottir Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

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Bryndis Benediktsdottir Medical Faculty, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
Department of Sleep, Landspitali University Hospital Reykjavík, Reykjavik, Iceland

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Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

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Pascal Demoly University Hospital of Montpellier, IDESP, Univ Montpellier-Inserm, Montpellier, France

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Karl Anders Franklin Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

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Leire Sainz de Aja Gallastegui Unit of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Health, Basque Government, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

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Francisco Javier Callejas González Department of Respiratory Medicine, Albacete University Hospital, Albacete, Spain

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Joachim Heinrich Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Mathias Holm Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

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Nils Oscar Jogi Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

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Benedicte Leynaert Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm U1018, Center for Epidemiology and Population Health, Integrative Respiratory Epidemiology Team, Villejuif, France

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Eva Lindberg Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

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Andrei Malinovschi Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

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Jesús Martínez-Moratalla Pneumology Service of the General University Hospital of Albacete, Albacete, Spain
Albacete Faculty of Medicine, Castilla-La Mancha University, Albacete, Spain

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Raúl Godoy Mayoral Department of Respiratory Medicine, Albacete University Hospital, Albacete, Spain

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Anna Oudin Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

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Antonio Pereira-Vega Juan Ramón Jiménez University Hospital in Huelva, Huelva, Spain

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Chantal Raherison Semjen INSERM, EpiCene Team U1219, University of Bordeaux, Talence, France

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Vivi Schlünssen Department of Public Health, Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
The National Research Center for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Kai Triebner Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

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Marianne Øksnes Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

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Objective

To investigate markers of premature menopause (<40 years) and specifically the prevalence of autoimmune primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) in European women.

Design

Postmenopausal women were categorized according to age at menopause and self-reported reason for menopause in a cross-sectional analysis of 6870 women.

Methods

Variables associated with the timing of menopause and hormone measurements of 17β-estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Specific immunoprecipitating assays of steroidogenic autoantibodies against 21-hydroxylase (21-OH), side-chain cleavage enzyme (anti-SCC) and 17alpha-hydroxylase (17 OH), as well as NACHT leucine-rich-repeat protein 5 were used to identify women with likely autoimmune POI.

Results

Premature menopause was identified in 2.8% of women, and these women had higher frequencies of nulliparity (37.4% vs 19.7%), obesity (28.7% vs 21.4%), osteoporosis (17.1% vs 11.6%), hormone replacement therapy (59.1% vs 36.9%) and never smokers (60.1% vs 50.9%) (P < 0.05), compared to women with menopause ≥40 years. Iatrogenic causes were found in 91 (47%) and non-ovarian causes in 27 (14%) women, while 77 (39%) women were classified as POI of unknown cause, resulting in a 1.1% prevalence of idiopathic POI. After adjustments nulliparity was the only variable significantly associated with POI (odds ratio 2.46; 95% CI 1.63–3.42). Based on the presence of autoantibodies against 21 OH and SCC, 4.5% of POI cases were of likely autoimmune origin.

Conclusion

Idiopathic POI affects 1.1% of all women and almost half of the women with premature menopause. Autoimmunity explains 4.5% of these cases judged by positive steroidogenic autoantibodies.

Open access
Hans Valdemar López Krabbe Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Jørgen Holm Petersen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Louise Laub Asserhøj Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Fertility, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Trine Holm Johannsen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Peter Christiansen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Rikke Beck Jensen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Line Hartvig Cleemann Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Casper P Hagen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Lærke Priskorn Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Niels Jørgensen Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Katharina M Main Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Anders Juul Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Lise Aksglaede Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Centre for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Adult patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) are characterized by a highly variable phenotype, including tall stature, obesity, and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, as well as an increased risk of developing insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis. Most adults need testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), whereas the use of TRT during puberty has been debated. In this retrospective, observational study, reproductive hormones and whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition and bone mineral content were standardized to age-related standard deviation scores in 62 patients with KS aged 5.9–20.6 years. Serum concentrations of total testosterone and inhibin B were low, whereas luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were high in patients before TRT. Despite normal body mass index, body fat percentage and the ratio between android fat percentage and gynoid fat percentage were significantly higher in the entire group irrespective of treatment status. In patients evaluated before and during TRT, a tendency toward a more beneficial body composition with a significant reduction in the ratio between android fat percentage and gynoid fat percentage during TRT was found. Bone mineral content (BMC) did not differ from the reference, but BMC corrected for bone area was significantly lower when compared to the reference. This study confirms that patients with KS have an unfavorable body composition and an impaired bone mineral status already during childhood and adolescence. Systematic studies are needed to evaluate whether TRT during puberty will improve these parameters.

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Małgorzata Więcek Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

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Jakub Gawlik Student Scientific Society at the Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland

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Zuzanna Nowak Student Scientific Society at the Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland

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Aneta Gawlik Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

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Loss of fertility is one of the most important concerns facing Turner syndrome (TS) patients as they transition into adult health care. Due to the limited and rapidly decreasing ovarian reserve, many TS patients require fertility preservation (FP) techniques to preserve their reproductive potential until they are ready to pursue procreation. One has to also remember about the additional risks connected with pregnancy in TS patients. In order to determine the optimal time for introducing FP techniques and decrease the chance of an unnecessary intervention, markers and procedures assessing ovarian reserve have been developed. The exposure to potential cardiovascular complications should be determined before FP to avoid unnecessary procedures in patients with potential contraindications to pregnancy. The aim of the present review is to answer the following three questions important for successful preservation of fertility and safe pregnancy in TS: which markers of ovarian reserve should be used as selection criteria for FP? Which methods of FP are the safest and most effective? Are there any cardiovascular contraindications to FP? For each of those questions, separate literature searches have been conducted. A total of 86 articles have been included in this review: 34 for the first question, 35 for the second, and 17 for the third. Ovarian reserve markers and cardiovascular contraindications to pregnancy should be established before FP; hoverer, there are no unambiguous indicators as to which patients should be disqualified from the FP and more evidence is needed in this subject.

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Giuseppe Grande Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy

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Andrea Graziani Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

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Antonella Di Mambro Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy

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Riccardo Selice Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy

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Alberto Ferlin Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

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Low bone mass is common in men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS), with a prevalence of 6–15% of osteoporosis and of 25–48% of osteopenia. Reduced bone mass has been described since adolescence and it might be related to both reduced bone formation and higher bone resorption. Although reduced testosterone levels are clearly involved in the pathogenesis, this relation is not always evident. Importantly, fracture risk is increased independently from bone mineral density (BMD) and testosterone levels. Here we discuss the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in patients with KS, with a particular focus on the role of testosterone and testis function. In fact, other hormonal mechanisms, such as global Leydig cell dysfunction, causing reduced insulin-like factor 3 and 25-OH vitamin D levels, and high follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels, might be involved. Furthermore, genetic aspects related to the supernumerary X chromosome might be involved, as well as androgen receptor expression and function. Notably, body composition, skeletal mass and strength, and age at diagnosis are other important aspects. Although dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is recommended in the clinical workflow for patients with KS to measure BMD, recent evidence suggests that alterations in the microarchitecture of the bones and vertebral fractures might be present even in subjects with normal BMD. Therefore, analysis of trabecular bone score, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography and vertebral morphometry seem promising tools to better estimate the fracture risk of patients with KS. This review also summarizes the evidence on the best available treatments for osteoporosis in men with KS, with or without hypogonadism.

Open access
Nathalie Ly Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Reference Center for Rare Endocrine Diseases of Growth and Development, Reference Center for Gynecological Rare Diseases, Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, Paris, France
EndoERN, APHP Consortium Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Necker Hospital, Paris, France

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Sophie Dubreuil Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Reference Center for Rare Endocrine Diseases of Growth and Development, Reference Center for Gynecological Rare Diseases, Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, Paris, France
EndoERN, APHP Consortium Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Necker Hospital, Paris, France

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Philippe Touraine Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Reference Center for Rare Endocrine Diseases of Growth and Development, Reference Center for Gynecological Rare Diseases, Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, Paris, France
EndoERN, APHP Consortium Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Necker Hospital, Paris, France
Sorbonne University, Paris, France

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Objective

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are not mandatory for reproductive life, but data suggest their synergistic action with follicle-stimulating hormone throughout ovarian folliculogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the association of IGF-1 level on clinical pregnancy rate after ovarian stimulation, with or without intrauterine insemination, in women with GH deficiency (GHD) treated with GH replacement therapy (GHRT) at conception.

Design and methods

Data from 19 women with both GHD and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism referred to our reproductive medicine department were retrospectively collected. IGF-1 levels were assessed in a single laboratory, and values were expressed in s.d. from the mean.

Results

Amongst the seven patients receiving GHRT during ovarian stimulation, higher IGF-1 levels were significantly associated with clinical pregnancy (+0.4 s.d. vs–1.6 s.d., P = 0.03). Amongst the 24 pregnancies obtained by the 19 infertile patients, pregnancy loss was less frequent with the addition of GHRT than without (1 miscarriage out of 8 total pregnancies vs 4 miscarriages out of 16 total pregnancies).

Conclusions

This is the first study evaluating the association of IGF-1 level on clinical pregnancy rate in GH-treated women at conception. When taking care of female infertility due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, practitioners should enquire about the associated GHD and IGF-1 levels. To ensure higher clinical pregnancy chances, practitioners should aim for IGF-1 values at conception, ranging from 0 s.d. to +2 s.d., and, if necessary, could discuss initiation or increase GH treatment. Prospective studies should help strengthen our results.

Open access
Jennifer K Y Ko Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China

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Jinghua Shi Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China

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Raymond H W Li Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China

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William S B Yeung Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China

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Ernest H Y Ng Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China

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Objective

Vitamin D receptors are present in the female reproductive tract. Studies on the association between serum vitamin D level and pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) showed inconsistent results and focused on a single fresh or frozen embryo transfer cycle. The objective of our study was to evaluate if serum vitamin D level before ovarian stimulation was associated with the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) of the first IVF cycle.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Women who underwent the first IVF cycle from 2012 to 2016 at a university-affiliated reproductive medicine center were included. Archived serum samples taken before ovarian stimulation were analyzed for 25(OH)D levels using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results

In total, 1113 had pregnancy outcome from the completed IVF cycle. The median age (25th–75th percentile) of the women was 36 (34–38) years and serum 25(OH)D level was 53.4 (41.9–66.6) nmol/L. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (less than 50 nmol/L) was 42.2%. The CLBR in the vitamin D-deficient group was significantly lower compared to the non-deficient group (43.9%, 208/474 vs 50.9%, 325/639, P  = 0.021, unadjusted), and after controlling for women’s age, BMI, antral follicle count, type and duration of infertility. There were no differences in the clinical/ongoing pregnancy rate, live birth rate and miscarriage rate in the fresh cycle between the vitamin D deficient and non-deficient groups.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in infertile women in subtropical Hong Kong. The CLBR of the first IVF cycle in the vitamin D-deficient group was significantly lower compared to the non-deficient group.

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Rohit Barnabas Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Swati Jadhav Department of Endocrinology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, India

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Anurag Ranjan Lila Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Sirisha Kusuma Boddu Consultant Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad, India

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Saba Samad Memon Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Sneha Arya Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Samiksha Chandrashekhar Hegishte Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Manjiri Karlekar Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Virendra A Patil Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Vijaya Sarathi Department of Endocrinology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, India

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Nalini S Shah Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Tushar Bandgar Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India

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Background

The data on Leydig cell hypoplasia (LCH) resulting from biallelic Luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) inactivating variants is limited to case series.

Methods

We aim to describe our patients and perform systematic review of the patients with LHCGR inactivating variants in the literature. Detailed phenotype and genotype data of three patients from our centre and 85 (46,XY: 67; 46,XX: 18) patients from 59 families with LHCGR-inactivating variants from literature were described.

Results

Three 46,XY patients (age 6–18 years) from our center, with two reared as females, had two novel variants in LHCGR. Systematic review (including our patients) revealed 72 variants in 88 patients. 46,XY patients (n = 70, 56 raised as females) presented with pubertal delay (n = 41) or atypical genitalia (n = 17). Sinnecker score ≥3 (suggesting antenatal human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) inaction) was seen in 80% (56/70), and hCG-stimulated testosterone was low (<1.1 ng/mL) in 77.4% (24/31), whereas puberty/postpubertal age, high luteinizing hormone (LH) (97.6%, 41/42) and low (<1.0 ng/mL) basal testosterone (94.9%, 37/39) was observed in most. Follicle stimulating hormone was elevated in 21/51 of these patients. Variants with <10% receptor function were exclusively seen in cohorts with Sinnecker 4/5 (10/15 vs 0/5, P = 0.033). 46,XX patients (n = 18) presented with oligo/amenorrhea and/or anovulatory infertility and had polycystic ovaries (7/9) with median LH of 10 IU/L (1.2–38).

Conclusion

In summary, this study comprehensively characterizes LHCGR variants, revealing genotype-phenotype correlations and informing clinical management of LCH. In 46,XY LCH patients, pubertal LH inaction is uniform with variable severity of antenatal hCG inaction. Few mutant LHCGR have differential actions for LH and hCG.

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