Interpretation
testis
There are differences in endogenous testosterone levels after injection with TE versus TU (In PRIBS, a similar testosterone profile was observed in the treated boys, as can be seen in The PRIBS results show that 250 mg of TU administered once every 3 months for 6 months can be used to induce pubertal development in boys with delayed or slow progression of puberty.Despite the differences in endogenous testosterone levels between the two treatment groups, both treatments resulted in the progression of puberty in all boys. Statistical evaluation of the primary outcome indicated no statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups. An advantage of TU is the feasibility due to longer periods between injections. Of interest is that TE does not seem to suppress the gonadotropins as TU does after 3 and 6 months.Two TU-treated boys did not reach a testis volume of 8 ml; however, both boys displayed clinical and hormonal signs that puberty had progressed. Both boys had normal LH levels. Their FSH values were 5.8 and 10.5 mIU/ml at the study start and, after 12 months, were the two highest in PRIBS at 10.7 and 14 mIU/ml. They also had the two lowest inhibin B levels at the study start and two of the three lowest inhibin B levels after 12 months. The two boys were followed up after the study. Twelve months after treatment was finished, they had progressed in their pubertal development. Both continued to have a pubertal growth spurt, testicular increase (9–10 ml), and testosterone values of 10.6 and 12.1 nmol/L, which are in the mid-puberty range (In both groups, the boys’ puberty had progressed: the mean testis size was 4.1 (TU) and 4.3 ml (TE) at the study start and 9.2 and 10.4 ml at 12 months, and the mean height gain was 9.4 (TE) and 9.2 cm/year (TU). Both groups maintained pubertal levels of endogenous testosterone and gonadotropins with the progression of pubertal growth after treatment stopped. Other studies of the treatment of pubertal delay have shown similarly increased growth rates, i.e., 8.4 and 10.7 cm/year (Whether or not to treat boys (aged 14–16 years) with late or slow progression of puberty is a complicated issue and beyond the scope of this study. Nevertheless, the reason to start treatment is psychological in boys aged 14–16 years (