LH and FSH in serum after intramuscular administration of LH/FSH-releasing hormone in normal and hypogonadal men.

The increase in serum concentrations of LH and FSH after intramuscular administration of LH/FSH-RH was investigated in normal and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadal males. LH and FSH were measured by specific radio-immunoassays. To evaluate the appropriate dose of LH/FSH-RH for intramuscular administration different doses were administered and with 200 mu g an increase in LH and FSH was found comparable to the results obtained by other investigators using intravenous administration. After the initial studies a simple test including two determinations before LH/FSH-RH administration and one 60 min and 120 min after administration was developed and used in all cases. In 12 normal males a significant increase in the serum concentration of both LH and FSH was found averaging 381% and 148% respectively 60 min after 200 mu g LH/FSH-RH with a slight decrease in LH but not in FSH after 120 min. A positive response similar to that in normal men was observed in 11 hypogonadotrophic hypogonadal patients presenting different clinical pictures. This indicates that in all these patients the hypogonadotrophic state was due to a hypothalamic defect and not to a hypophyseal disorder.