TY - JOUR
T1 - Decreased serum inhibin levels in normal elderly men
T2 - Evidence for a decline in sertoli cell function with aging
AU - Tenover, J. S.
AU - McLachlan, R. I.
AU - Dahl, K. D.
AU - Burger, H. G.
AU - De Kretser, D. M.
AU - Bremner, W. J.
PY - 1988
Y1 - 1988
N2 - Compared to young men, normal elderly men have decreased sperm production despite elevated serum gonadotropin levels. To determine whether the seminiferous tubule defect in elderly men includes decreased Sertoli cell function, we measured serum immunoreactive inhibin concentrations in young and elderly men before and after clomiphene citrate (CC) administration. Thirty-eight healthy men, 19 young (aged 22-35 yr) and 19 elderly (aged 65-85 yr), were studied before CC administration. The mean baseline serum inhibin level was significantly lower (P <0.001) in the elderly men than in the young men [416 ± 22 (±SE) vs. 588 ± 30 U/L], while serum immunoreactive FSH and LH levels were higher in the older men, and bioactive FSH levels were similar in the two age groups. Eleven young men and 13 elderly men were studied after 1 week of CC administration. The mean serum inhibin level increased by 71%, from 566 ± 36 to 970 ± 82 U/L, in the young men, but it increased by only 24%, from 421 ± 26 to 520 ± 38 U/L, in the elderly men. Serum immunoreactive LH and bioactive and immunoreactive FSH concentrations increased to similar levels in both groups after CC administration. We conclude that the seminiferous tubule defect of elderly men includes decreased Sertoli cell function.
AB - Compared to young men, normal elderly men have decreased sperm production despite elevated serum gonadotropin levels. To determine whether the seminiferous tubule defect in elderly men includes decreased Sertoli cell function, we measured serum immunoreactive inhibin concentrations in young and elderly men before and after clomiphene citrate (CC) administration. Thirty-eight healthy men, 19 young (aged 22-35 yr) and 19 elderly (aged 65-85 yr), were studied before CC administration. The mean baseline serum inhibin level was significantly lower (P <0.001) in the elderly men than in the young men [416 ± 22 (±SE) vs. 588 ± 30 U/L], while serum immunoreactive FSH and LH levels were higher in the older men, and bioactive FSH levels were similar in the two age groups. Eleven young men and 13 elderly men were studied after 1 week of CC administration. The mean serum inhibin level increased by 71%, from 566 ± 36 to 970 ± 82 U/L, in the young men, but it increased by only 24%, from 421 ± 26 to 520 ± 38 U/L, in the elderly men. Serum immunoreactive LH and bioactive and immunoreactive FSH concentrations increased to similar levels in both groups after CC administration. We conclude that the seminiferous tubule defect of elderly men includes decreased Sertoli cell function.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0023728958&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 3137240
AN - SCOPUS:0023728958
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 67
SP - 455
EP - 459
JO - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
JF - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
IS - 3
ER -
