Asgeirsson Alanna, Park Eujean, Seidel Vinicius, Shedd Mathew, Sathananthan Matheni, Arous Tania, Codorniz Kevin, Giannelli Silvana, Do Justin, Thin Wyut Yi, Jelovac Arsenije, Lee Scott
Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Health Consortium, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
Division of Endocrinology, Loma Linda University Health Consortium, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
Life (Basel). 2025 Jul 21;15(7):1151. doi: 10.3390/life15071151.
Kallmann syndrome (KS) is a form of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) characterized by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency and anosmia due to defective neuronal migration. While traditionally considered irreversible, cases of spontaneous improvement of HH have been reported, suggesting residual GnRH neuronal function in some individuals. We present a case of a 29-year-old man with KS who exhibited spontaneous recovery of endogenous testosterone production following the cessation of long-term androgen therapy without the use of alternative hormonal agents. After ceasing testosterone therapy for several months, the patient's total testosterone levels normalized (407-424 ng/dL), accompanied by increased secondary sexual characteristics, stable gonadotropin levels, and normal testicular volume. Persistent anosmia was noted, suggesting that restoration of reproductive endocrine function can occur independently of olfactory recovery. Genetic testing identified heterozygous mutations in and , genes implicated in GnRH regulation and KS pathogenesis. This case highlights the potential role of genetic variation in spontaneous HH improvement and underscores the need for individualized management strategies, including periodic reassessment of gonadal function and fertility potential. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms driving spontaneous HH improvement, identify predictive biomarkers of reversibility, and explore therapeutic strategies that may promote endogenous GnRH activity in select patients with KS.
卡尔曼综合征(KS)是一种低促性腺激素性性腺功能减退症(HH),其特征为促性腺激素释放激素(GnRH)缺乏以及因神经元迁移缺陷导致的嗅觉缺失。虽然传统上认为这种情况是不可逆的,但已有HH自发改善的病例报道,这表明一些个体存在残余的GnRH神经元功能。我们报告一例29岁患有KS的男性病例,该患者在停止长期雄激素治疗且未使用替代激素药物后,内源性睾酮分泌出现自发恢复。在停止睾酮治疗数月后,患者的总睾酮水平恢复正常(407 - 424 ng/dL),同时第二性征增强、促性腺激素水平稳定且睾丸体积正常。患者仍存在嗅觉缺失,这表明生殖内分泌功能的恢复可独立于嗅觉恢复而发生。基因检测发现了 和 基因的杂合突变,这两个基因与GnRH调节及KS发病机制有关。该病例凸显了基因变异在HH自发改善中的潜在作用,并强调了个体化管理策略的必要性,包括定期重新评估性腺功能和生育潜力。需要进一步研究以阐明驱动HH自发改善的机制,确定可逆性的预测生物标志物,并探索可能促进特定KS患者内源性GnRH活性的治疗策略。