Hypothalamic and pituitary function in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism has been identified as a cause of partial or complete failure of puberty, may be familial and may have other associated abnormalities of hyposmia, intellectual retardation, perceptive deafness, color blindness, skeletal deformities, and gynecomastia. Pituitary function is usually normal with the primary defect believed to be hypothalamic. A twenty-year-old white male with a clinical diagnosis of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia under-went complete endocrine evaluation with evaluation of the pituitary response to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) release after luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone did occur, but the response was less than that seen in normal controls. Evaluation demonstrated that the pituitary-gonadal axis was intact with the hypothalamic-pituitary axis being defective. Therapy with the synthetic decapeptide (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone) is correct theoretically and may be superior to therapy with exogenous gonadotropins.