Source: DGNews  |  Posted 2 years ago

By Chris Berrie

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- April 27, 2009 -- Short-term treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) improves bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar vertebrae and neck femur of young men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, according to a retrospective study presented here at the 11th European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE).

"There are lots of reports about the effects of androgens on bone mineral density," said Alper Sonmez, MD, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gulhane Military Medical School, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey, on April 27. However, published data concerning the benefits of hCG on BMD in hypogonadism are not available.

A search of the Gulhane School of Medicine database provided the enrollment of 96 young men (mean age, 21 years) with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism who were treatment-naive. BMD was measured at baseline and after treatment in the lumbar region, femur neck, and distal radius using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

Results of DEXA showed that all patients had severe osteoporosis, with the selected baseline BMDs (g/cm²)/z scores of 0.742/-3.04 for lumbar vertebrae 1-4, 0.809/-0.81 for femur neck, and 0.622/-3.38 for distal radius.

All patients were treated with hCG 1,500 IU 3 times/week for 6 to 9 months.

After the approximately 7-month treatment period, significant improvements of >= 5% were seen in the BMD of the lumbar region and femur neck (P < .001). No short-term significant improvement was seen for the distal radius.

"In our patients, we have seen a 6-month period of significant increase in bone mineral density." said Dr. Sonmez. "What is important is that osteoporosis at a young age due to hypogonadism improves significantly in a very short period, which is in contrast to the well-known osteoporosis of postmenopausal women."

Based on the study results, the researchers advocate an earlier screening period with DEXA than the 2 years recommended in current guidelines.

[Presentation title: Effect of Short-Term Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Treatment on the Improvement of Bone Mass in Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism. Abstract P240]