From the Endocrine Research Center And the Department of Internal Medicine, Taleghani Medical Center, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract: (4971 Views)
The effects of exposure to chemical weapons containing sulfur mustards
on the serum levels of total and free testosterone. gonadotropins and
prolactin was investigated in young Iranian men. In the first five weeks after
injury both serum total and free testosterone were significantly decreased as
compared to control values. Three of 13 men had total testosterone below
300 ng/dL and two of six had subnormal serum free testosterone concentra•
tions. By the fifth week after exposure serum free testosterone did not
change however there was further fall in mean serum total testosterone ancI
70% of men had subnormal values. Both serum total and free testosterone
concentrations returned to normal values by the 12th week after injury.
There was a significant rise in serum FSH and prolactin by the fifth week
ancI in serum LH by the fourth week after exposure. These data suggest that
injury by the chemical warfare containing sulfur mustard may cause acute
inhibition of testosterone secretion from the testis leading to a significant
decline in serum total and free testosterone and some increase in gonadotropin
concentrations. The inhibition seems to be transient ancI hormone levels
return to normal by 12th week after injury.