Hormonal contraception in Chinese men: variations insuppression of spermatogenesis with injectable testosteroneundecanoate and levonorgestrel implants

Aim: To explore the causes of the difference in spermatogenic suppression between responders and non-responders in Chinese men treated with levonorgestrel (LNG) implants plus testosterone undecanoate (TU) injectable. Methods: The 16 Chinese volunteers treated were divided into two groups in regard to the sperm count during the treatment period, 7 men in the responder group (Group R), including 6 azoospermia and one severe oligozoospermia, and the remaining 9 in the non-responder group (Group N), including 4 oligozoospermia and 5 with sperm counts greater than 20×106/mL. The differences in serum profiles of FSH, LH, T, LNG and T/LH ratio were compared between the two groups and the correlation between the seminal fluid parameters and serum reproductive hormones was analyzed. Results: The serum FSH level was lower in Group R than that in Group N (P<0.05), while the serum LH and LNG levels were higher in Group R than those in Group N (P<0.05). The sperm density (P<0.01, r=0.235), motility (P<0.01, r=0.326) and vitality (P<0.01, r=0.219) showed significantly positive correlation with the serum FSH level. Conclusion: The blood LNG and T levels, the degree of FSH inhibition and/or the sensitivity of the pituitary-testis axis to exogenous steroids, as well as the individual spermatogenetic potential and the functional status of the Leydig cells may be factors bringing about individual differences in spermatogenic suppression in Chinese men treated with LNG and TU.

Relieving the Impacts of Oral Contraceptives on Lipids Profile by Taking Pills in a Novel Scheme

Objective To explore whether the changes on lipids profile induced by oral contraceptives could be reduced through alternatively administering two oral contraceptives of different formulations (either predominant in progestogen or estrogen) Materials &. Methods A total of 59 women aged 25- 45 were divided into two treatment groups.The subjects in Group A received oral contraceptive A (Oc A: NET 0. 600 mg + EE 0. 035 mg) and B (OcB: LNG 0. 15mg + EEO. 03 mg) alternatively during 12 treatment cycles. Each contraceptive was administrated for three cycles consecutively with starting from OcA. The subjects in the B group received OcB only during 12 treatment cycles. Fasting blood were drawn before treatment, at the end of each trimester treatment and at the end of one cycle after stopping treatment respectively. The concentrations of lipids and apolipoproteins were measured.Results OcA increased the levels of triglyceride(TG) , total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-c) , and apolipoprotein AI (apo AI) with statistical significance, whereas OcB significantly decreased all parameters above. As compared with the control group, the overall mean of variation in the study group was much less than that of the control group.Conclusion It indicates that the impacts of oral contraceptives on lipids profile could be moderated by means of alternatively administering Ocs of two different formulations , with estrogen-dominant or progestogen-dominant.

Study on Differences in Spermatogenic Suppression between Azoospermic and Oligozoospermic Responders Treated with Levonorgestrel Implant Plus Testosterone Undecanoate Injectable in Chinese Men

Objective To investigate possible causes resulting in the differences in the spermatogenesis suppression on individual treated with levonorgestrel (LNG) implants and testosterone undecanoate (TU) injectableMethods Totally 21 Chinese male volunteers were given treatment with LNG implants (four rods, 75 mg/rod) and intramuscular injection of TU (500 mg,bimonthly for 3 times). According to the effects of treatment, they were divided into two groups, namely, azoospermia group (group A) and oligozoospermia group (group O). Then seminal FSH, LH, T and estradiol (E2) were determined by immunoenzymetric assay, while seminal and serum dihydrotachysterol (DHT) and serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were by radioimmunoassay, and seminal transferrin (Tf) by scatter turbidimetry assay.Results Seminal FSH, LH and serum DHT, SHBG, FTI (T/SHBG ×100) levels were significantly lower in group A than in group O, while higher seminal concentrations ofE2 were observed in azoospermia group.Conclusion The differences in the spermatogenic suppression in Chinese men might be attributed to different rate of peripheral androgen metabolism, variations in serum SHBG levels, 5á-reductase activity and individual aromatase activity during LNG plus TU administration. In addition, seminal sex hormones might be more sensitive indexes to assess the extent of feedback inhibition on hypothalamus-pituitary-testis with exogenous testosterone plus progestogen in the efficacy hormone male contraceptive trials.