Androgens and oestrogens before and following oral testosterone administration in male patients with and without alcoholic cirrhosis.

Compared with controls (N = 9), alcoholic cirrhotic men (N = 14) showed: significantly (P less than 0.05) higher serum concentrations of sexual hormone binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione, oestrone, oestradiol, non-protein bound oestradiol, and non-SHBG bound oestradiol; significantly (P less than 0.05) lower concentrations of albumin and non-SHBG bound testosterone; no significant differences regarding concentrations of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, non-protein bound testosterone, oestrone sulphate, and SHBG bound oestradiol. Following oral administration of 400 mg of micronized testosterone, serum concentrations of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, and oestrone increased significantly (P less than 0.05) in both groups, cirrhotic patients reaching significantly (P less than 0.01) higher concentrations than controls. Further, in the cirrhotic group, the serum concentrations of oestrone sulphate, oestradiol, non-protein bound oestradiol, and non-SHBG bound oestradiol, and the urinary excretion of oestrogen increased significantly P less than 0.05). In conclusion, peroral testosterone administration decreases the serum oestradiol/testosterone ratio in patients with normal livers as well as in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, but the latter group obtains significantly higher oestrogen concentrations.