Use of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist triptorelin in the diagnosis of delayed puberty in boys.

To differentiate gonadotropin deficiency from delayed puberty in teenage boys, 0.1 mg/m2 of triptorelin, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, was administered subcutaneously at 4 AM. Serum gonadotropins and testosterone levels were determined at baseline and 4 hours after the injection. The increase in blood gonadotropin and testosterone levels was significantly greater in patients with delayed puberty than in those with gonadotropin deficiency.