Impaired serum inhibin-B and number of germ cells in boys with cryptorchidism following heavily gestational maternal smoking
Author / Expert
Topic overview
Abstract
Purpose
A meta-analysis including 11,900 cases showed that maternal gestational smoking was associated with increased risk of cryptorchidism. The aim of study was to investigate whether a hormone profile of cryptorchid boys and a supplementing histopathological evaluation of testicular biopsies could add detailed knowledge to the impact of maternal gestational smoking on pathogenesis of cryptorchidism.
Methods
601 cryptorchid boys aged 4 months to 14 years old were included. Because normal hormones have a pronounced age dependency, we compared results from boys whose mothers had smoked heavily (>10 cigarettes/day) during pregnancy with age matched cryptorchid controls of nonsmoking mothers (1:6). We studied: birthweight, germ-cell number/tubular cross section, frequency of germ cells positive for placental-like alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), gonadotropins and inhibin-B.
Results
501 boys were sons of nonsmokers, 72 boys of intermittent smokers and 28 boys of heavy smokers. 39%, 44% and 61% respectively had bilateral cryptorchidism. Compared to age-matched cryptorchid controls of nonsmoking mothers, sons of heavy smokers had lower birthweight (p = 0.006), germ-cell number/tubular cross section (p = 0.009), frequency of germ cells positive for PLAP (p = 0.037) and inhibin-B (p = 0.042).
Conclusions
All findings could be associated with placental dysfunction with altered human chorionic gonadotropin production well described in women smoking during pregnancy.
Type of study
Prognosis study (prospective cohort study with >80% follow-up).
Level of evidence
Level 1.
Comments