Evaluation of Testicular Functions in Obese Adolescent Males

Abstract

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century; it is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases, such as DM type 2, dyslipidemia, hypertension, coronary heart diseases, many psychosocial and social problems. The worldwide pandemic of childhood obesity has renewed interest in the relationship between body composition in childhood and the timing and tempo of puberty. Current study aimed to assess testicular function by measuring serum total and free testosterone, estradiol, inhibin B and assess testicular volume by ultrasonography in obese adolescent males comparing them with normal age matched lean males and study relation of testicular function with the anthropometric measurements. The study carried out in the Obesity Clinic of the Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit (DEMPU), Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University and "Management of Visceral Obesity and Growth Disturbances Unit" at the "Medical Research Excellence Center (MERC)", National Research Centre in collaboration with Faculty of Postgraduate Childhood Studies. It included sixty adolescent boys with exogenous obesity (BMI ≥ 95 percentile) their age ranged from 12 to 18 years with Tanner stage from 2 to 5 along with twenty age matched lean boys (BMI=15 _ < 85 percentile) as a control group. All children included in the study were subjected to the following: History - Birth weight