Serum concentrations of pituitary and testicular hormones in infertile Nigerian males.

Serum concentrations of luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in 384 male partners of infertile Nigerian couples in order to assess the prevalence of abnormalities of these hormones in this population of African males. Eighty-eight (23%) of the patients had hyperprolactinemia, which was associated with subnormal testosterone concentration in 38 patients. Thirteen percent had features suggesting either primary gonadal failure or germinal tubular dysfunction, while 1% had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The results show that a substantial proportion of our infertile males have abnormalities of the hormones measured. It is suggested that the estimation of these hormones should be an integral part of the evaluation of infertile African males, since the information so provided will be of value in the management and treatment of a large number of these patients.