Spermatic and peripheral venous plasma concentrations of testosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, delta 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol, dihydrotestosterone, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol, 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol, and estradiol in boys with idiopathic varicocele in different stages of puberty.

Serum testosterone (T), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17P), androstenedione (delta 4-dione), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), delta 5-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (delta 5-diol), estradiol (E2), dihydrotestosterone (DHT),5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol (3 alpha diol), and 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol (3 beta diol) were measured in the peripheral and spermatic venous blood of 21 boys undergoing surgery for idiopathic left varicocele. The boys were divided into 3 groups according to their pubertal development: prepubertal (group 1 or P1; n = 8), pubertal stage 2 (group II or P2; n = 6), and pubertal stages 3-4 (group III or P3-4; n = 7). The testes of the prepubertal boys secreted T, 17P, DHA, delta 5-diol, DHT, and 3 alpha diol, but not delta 4-dione, E2, and 3 beta diol. In pubertal stage P2, the mean spermatic-peripheral secretory gradients of T, 17P, DHA, delta 5-diol, DHT, and 3 alpha diol were significantly higher than those in the prepubertal stage, and there was testicular secretion of delta 4-dione, E2, and 3 beta diol. In pubertal stage P3-4, the mean spermatic-peripheral secretory gradients of most of these steroids, even if increased, were not significantly different from those in stage P2 (with the exception of 17P, delta 5-diol, and DHA). We suggest that after the important modifications of testicular secretion occurring in pubertal stage P2, the testicular secretory pattern of the pubertal testis is similar to the pattern of the adult testis. We suggest also that these results, obtained in boys with idiopathic varicocele, can probably be extended to the secretory activity of the testes of normal pubertal boys.