Abstract:
After a control phase, 10 normal men received cyproterone acetate (CPA) at
a dose of 25 mg/day (CPA-25; n=5) or 12.5 mg/day (CPA-12.5; n=5) plus
testosterone enanthate (TE) 100 mg/week, for 16 weeks. Throughout the
study sperm counts were performed every 2 weeks, and luteinizing hormone
(LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, biochemical and
haematological tests were performed every 4 weeks. All five men in group
CPA-25 and three men in group CPA-12.5 achieved azoospermia. One man in
group CPA-25 was azoospermic by week 12 of hormone administration, but had
a sperm count of 0.1 x 10(6)/ml at week 16. Time to azoospermia was
9.0+/-1.3 and 8.7+/-0.7 weeks in groups CPA-25 and CPA-12.5 respectively.
Gonadotrophins were decreased by week 4 of hormone administration,
remained around the minimum detectability of the assay for the duration of
hormone administration and returned to baseline after stopping hormone
administration. Testosterone values did not change. No change in any
biochemical parameters was found. Haematological parameters were decreased
at week 16 of hormone administration and returned to baseline after
stopping hormone administration. In conclusion, these results suggest that
an hormonal regimen consisting of testosterone plus a progestin with
anti-androgenic properties holds promise as an effective, safe and
reversible male contraceptive.
