Urinary adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in normal and cryptorchid boys.

The 24-hour urinary excretion of cyclic AMP was determined in 102 normal boys aged 1.9-16.9 years and in 136 cryptorchids aged 2.5-16.9 years. A marked increase of the normal cyclic AMP excretion was found in pubertal years. There was a positive correlation between urinary excretion of cyclic AMP and the excretion of testosterone, androstenedione, LH and FSH. A positive correlation was also found between cyclic AMP excretion and height and weight, respectively. Mean cyclic AMP excretion of bilateral and unilateral cryptorchids was normal in all bone age groups except in unilateral cases with bone age 8-9.9 years and bone aged greater than or equal to 14 years. In these two groups, mean cyclic AMP excretion was moderately increased. After HCG stimulation of 25 cryptorchids, urinary cyclic AMP excretion varied between increased, unchanged and decreased values. The cyclic AMP excretion changes observed in some of our patients were difficult to interpret and were possibly of unspecific nature. Further information about the testiclar cyclic AMP secretion and the relationship between this nucleotide and sexual hormones may be obtained from studies in testicular biopsy tissue.