Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal function in patients with myotonic dystrophy

Abstract

Gonadal function was studied in three post-pubertal siblings (two male and one female) and one unrelated male patient with myotonic dystrophy. The diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by electromyography and muscle biopsy. Basal levels of plasma immunoreactive LH, FSH, testosterone, and estradiol were measured. Hypothalamic, pituitary, and gonadal reserve and responsiveness were evaluated by clomiphene, LHRH, and HCG tests. Histologic examination of gonadal biopsies was also performed. The results showed that gonadal failure present in the four patients had different characteristics. In the same family, hypothalamic amenorrhea was observed in the female patient, and hypothalamic eunuchoidism and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism with marked tubular and leydig cells failure in the male patients. The non-related male patient had hypergonadotropic hypogonadism with tubular failure but with a compensatory leydig-cell hyperplasia. These data are interpreted as demonstrating different expressivity of the hypogonadism associated with the same inherited muscle disease.