Abnormalities of sex hormones in men with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Sex hormone concentrations were studied in 10 men with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) before and after HCG stimulation and compared with those of 10 healthy volunteers. The SLE men had significantly lower testosterone/estradiol ratios (before HCG test) and significantly lower mean increases in testosterone after HCG stimulation than the normals. Our findings confirm that there are sexual hormone abnormalities in SLE and suggest that these abnormal patterns may be important in the modulation of immune responses in SLE.

Serum gonadotrophin pulsatile secretion in men with Prl-secreting and non-secreting pituitary tumours.

In order to investigate the possible influence of prolactin (Prl) at the hypothalamic level, serum LH and FSH pulsatility was studied in 16 male patients with prolactinomas, normally LH responders to GnRH (group A): 8 of them were untreated (group A1) and 8 had undergone previous unsuccessful pituitary treatments (group A2). In 7 patients the study was repeated when serum Prl was normalized by bromocriptine treatment (group B). For comparison the secretory pattern of LH and FSH was studied in 6 male patients with non-secreting pituitary tumours (group C).