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Effect of a single injection of testosterone enanthate on 17β estradiol and bone turnover markers in hypogonadal male patients

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Abstract

Purpose

Several clinical studies testify the critical role played by estrogens in male bone metabolism. The aim of our study is to assess the effect of a single injection of testosterone enanthate in a group of hypogonadal men on 17β estradiol serum levels and some bone metabolic parameters.

Method

Twenty-one hypogonadal males were given one testosterone enanthate injection (250 mg). Blood samples were drawn before the injection and after 1, 2 and 3 weeks. The following variables were measured: Total testosterone (TT), 17β estradiol (17β E2), Sex hormone binding globulin, total alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx).

Results

After testosterone injection, both TT and 17β E2 increased, peaking 1 week after the injection. Individual observation of the response of 17β E2 to testosterone showed that a subgroup (n = 9) failed to respond with any increase in 17β E2 at any of the weekly tests (group E2−), while the remainder (n = 12) showed a significant increase in 17β E2, which reached a mean value three times higher than at baseline (group E2+). The E2− patients reached a TT peak lower than that observed in the E+ group. CTx serum levels declined progressively in the E2+ group, reaching the significance (p = 0.03) at the end of the study, while it did not change in E− group.

Conclusion

This study suggests that a single injection of testosterone might have different effects on the production of endogenous estrogens, and a significant reduction of bone resorption parameters takes place only in the patients who show a significant increase of 17ß estradiol in response to testosterone administration.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Padova, via Ospedale 105, 35128, Padua, Italy

    V. Camozzi, G. Bonanni, M. Piccolo, S. Ferasin, M. Boscaro & G. Luisetto

  2. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Padova, via Loredan 18, 35131, Padua, Italy

    A. Frigo

  3. Department of Medical Laboratory, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy

    M. Zaninotto

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  1. V. Camozzi
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Correspondence to G. Luisetto.

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Camozzi, V., Bonanni, G., Frigo, A. et al. Effect of a single injection of testosterone enanthate on 17β estradiol and bone turnover markers in hypogonadal male patients. J Endocrinol Invest 38, 389–397 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-014-0183-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-014-0183-5

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