Primary Hypogonadism In Ghanaian Men With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Emerging evidence links insulin resistance, a key feature in type 2 diabetes with decreased leydig cell secretion of testosterone. Low gonadal steroids, which include testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol have also been implicated with metabolic abnormalities such as hyperglycemia, hypertension and cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to investigate hypogonadism and its risk factors in Ghanaian men with type 2 diabetes. Two hundred and ten volunteers were used for this study. Total testosterone, Sex hormone binding globulin, prolactin, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, blood pressure and body mass index were assessed. A questionnaire to assess androgen deficiency was administered to each consenting participant. Total testosterone levels were lower in diabetic men compared with non-diabetic men (10.8 ± 5.0 vs 15.6 ± 3.9, p=0.0001). There was no significant change in follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin and estradiol between controls and type 2 diabetics. However, luteinizing hormone was significantly higher in diabetics than non-diabetics (5.4±2.0 vs 4.5±1.5 p≤0.0003). Total testosterone levels were inversely related to BMI (R 2 =3.94, p=0.04), FBG (R 2 =6.492, p=0.0008) and TG (R 2 =31.41, p=0.025). The low testosterone observed in this study was a case of primary hypogonadism. KeywordsDiabetes, Estradiol, Glycated hemoglobin, Hypogonadism, Insulin, Obesity, Prolactin, ————————————————————