Role of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in spontaneous gynecomastia of adolescents.

To test a possible hormonal mechanism of gynecomastia at puberty, a group of pubertal spontaneous gynecomastia (PSG) and healthy young volunteers (HYV), Tanner's stage II-V, were studied. Peripheral blood samples were obtained for measuring follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E-2) and estrone (E-1). No difference was established in steroids in pituitary hormonal concentration when both groups were compared on a sexual stage-matched control basis, except for T 2 SD in 5/9 subjects of PSG and DHT 2 SD in all of PSG.

Low plasma zinc and androgen in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Plasma zinc and pituitary and testicular hormone concentrations were measured in two groups of male adolescents. One group comprised insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients, aged 14-19 years; the other, as control, included 12 healthy youngsters aged 13-19 years. Plasma concentration of zinc, prolactin, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone were lower in diabetics than in controls, whereas the ratios of androstenedione and androstenedione to testosterone + dihydrotestosterone were higher.