Delayed sexual development in boys

Abstract

This paper presents results of examination of 59 boys aged from 14 to 16 years with delayed sexual development (DSP). All children were allocated to 3 groups depending on specific clinical features of the disorder. Group 1 comprised boys (n = 20) with retardation of growth and sexual development, group 2 (n = 14) boys with DSP and cryptorchidism, group 3 (n = 25) boys with DSP and obesity. The examination included evaluation of the patients' physical and pubertal development, measurement of serum sex hormones, and difereline stimulation test. Constitutional form of DSP was diagnosed in 90% of the boys in group 1. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism occurred in 42.8% of the patients in group 2, and boys of group 3 suffered DSP etiologically associated with excessive body weight. It is concluded that correlation between clinical and hormonal characteristics of the examined boys reflects the cause behind DSP.