Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study

Introduction: Appropriate gonadotropin therapy regimen for the induction of spermatogenesis in congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism (HH) patients is a matter of debate. Pre-treatment with hCG is discouraged, while the rationale for FSH pre-treatment is that it mimics minipuberty, thereby being e...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Japleen Kaur, Nikhil Singhania, Umanath Adhikari, Richa Vatsa, Ujjwal Gorsi, Akash Bansal, Sanjay Bhadada, Nidhi Gupta, Anil Bhansali, Naresh Sachdeva, Aayushi Kaushal, Rama Walia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-05-01
Series:Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_307_24
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850080812218712064
author Japleen Kaur
Nikhil Singhania
Umanath Adhikari
Richa Vatsa
Ujjwal Gorsi
Akash Bansal
Sanjay Bhadada
Nidhi Gupta
Anil Bhansali
Naresh Sachdeva
Aayushi Kaushal
Rama Walia
author_facet Japleen Kaur
Nikhil Singhania
Umanath Adhikari
Richa Vatsa
Ujjwal Gorsi
Akash Bansal
Sanjay Bhadada
Nidhi Gupta
Anil Bhansali
Naresh Sachdeva
Aayushi Kaushal
Rama Walia
author_sort Japleen Kaur
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Appropriate gonadotropin therapy regimen for the induction of spermatogenesis in congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism (HH) patients is a matter of debate. Pre-treatment with hCG is discouraged, while the rationale for FSH pre-treatment is that it mimics minipuberty, thereby being expected to be better than upfront combined hCG and FSH therapy. Methods: A prospective RCT was conducted in the Department of Endocrinology of a tertiary centre. 24 azoospermic males between 17y and 40y of age with congenital HH were randomized into two groups. Group A (n = 12) received upfront combined hCG and FSH, while group B (n = 12) was given pre-treatment with FSH for 3 months, before addition of hCG. Results: Patients were followed up for a maximum duration of 18 months. Overall success rate was 91.3% (21/23). In group A, 100% (12/12) responded to treatment compared with 81.8% (9/11) in group B, with significantly lesser median (IQR) time to spermatogenesis of 10.5 (9–12) months in group A, compared to 15 (13.5–16.5) months in group B (P = 0.007). Maximum sperm concentration [median (IQR)] attained in group A and B was 30 (15.5–47) million/mL and 20 (7.5–34.5) million/mL, respectively (P = 0.292). Sonographic bi-testicular volume (median) increased to 8.05 (7.13–10.57) mL in group A and 9.2 (5.45–14) mL in group B. Conclusion: Both FSH pre-treatment and upfront combined hCG and FSH have a favourable outcome in initiating spermatogenesis in congenital HH, with the time to initiation of spermatogenesis favouring combined treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-ac2dd2244d4b4b27a3366dafd16fcb19
institution DOAJ
issn 2230-8210
2230-9500
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
spelling doaj-art-ac2dd2244d4b4b27a3366dafd16fcb192025-08-20T02:44:52ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism2230-82102230-95002025-05-0129333233610.4103/ijem.ijem_307_24Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot StudyJapleen KaurNikhil SinghaniaUmanath AdhikariRicha VatsaUjjwal GorsiAkash BansalSanjay BhadadaNidhi GuptaAnil BhansaliNaresh SachdevaAayushi KaushalRama WaliaIntroduction: Appropriate gonadotropin therapy regimen for the induction of spermatogenesis in congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism (HH) patients is a matter of debate. Pre-treatment with hCG is discouraged, while the rationale for FSH pre-treatment is that it mimics minipuberty, thereby being expected to be better than upfront combined hCG and FSH therapy. Methods: A prospective RCT was conducted in the Department of Endocrinology of a tertiary centre. 24 azoospermic males between 17y and 40y of age with congenital HH were randomized into two groups. Group A (n = 12) received upfront combined hCG and FSH, while group B (n = 12) was given pre-treatment with FSH for 3 months, before addition of hCG. Results: Patients were followed up for a maximum duration of 18 months. Overall success rate was 91.3% (21/23). In group A, 100% (12/12) responded to treatment compared with 81.8% (9/11) in group B, with significantly lesser median (IQR) time to spermatogenesis of 10.5 (9–12) months in group A, compared to 15 (13.5–16.5) months in group B (P = 0.007). Maximum sperm concentration [median (IQR)] attained in group A and B was 30 (15.5–47) million/mL and 20 (7.5–34.5) million/mL, respectively (P = 0.292). Sonographic bi-testicular volume (median) increased to 8.05 (7.13–10.57) mL in group A and 9.2 (5.45–14) mL in group B. Conclusion: Both FSH pre-treatment and upfront combined hCG and FSH have a favourable outcome in initiating spermatogenesis in congenital HH, with the time to initiation of spermatogenesis favouring combined treatment.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_307_24congenitalgonadotropinhypogonadotropic hypogonadismspermatogenesis
spellingShingle Japleen Kaur
Nikhil Singhania
Umanath Adhikari
Richa Vatsa
Ujjwal Gorsi
Akash Bansal
Sanjay Bhadada
Nidhi Gupta
Anil Bhansali
Naresh Sachdeva
Aayushi Kaushal
Rama Walia
Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
congenital
gonadotropin
hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
spermatogenesis
title Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
title_full Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
title_short Comparison of FSH Pre-treatment Versus Upfront hCG and FSH Regimens for Inducing Spermatogenesis in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: A Pilot Study
title_sort comparison of fsh pre treatment versus upfront hcg and fsh regimens for inducing spermatogenesis in congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism a pilot study
topic congenital
gonadotropin
hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
spermatogenesis
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_307_24
work_keys_str_mv AT japleenkaur comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT nikhilsinghania comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT umanathadhikari comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT richavatsa comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT ujjwalgorsi comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT akashbansal comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT sanjaybhadada comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT nidhigupta comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT anilbhansali comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT nareshsachdeva comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT aayushikaushal comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy
AT ramawalia comparisonoffshpretreatmentversusupfronthcgandfshregimensforinducingspermatogenesisincongenitalhypogonadotropichypogonadismapilotstudy