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Treatment of Primary Hypogonadism in Men by the Transdermal Administration of Testosterone^*

Endocrinology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
The ALZA Corp. Pah Alto, California 94303

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Peter J. Snyder, M.D., 552 Johnson Pavilion, 36th and Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6067.

We tested the efficacy of a thin flexible testosterone- impregnated membrane applied to the scrotum for the long term treatment of male hypogonadism. Ten men with primary hypogonadism were treated for 3 months (2 men) or 13 months (8 men). Serum testosterone concentrations increased in all 10 men, to within the normal range in 8. Serum dihydrotestosterone concentrations increased to supranormal values in all men. Serum LH concentrations, initially supranormal in all of the men, decreased to the normal range in 6, indicating the biological effectiveness of the testosterone in those subjects. Two men whose serum LH concentrations did not fall to normal had small or distorted scrotal surfaces. Seven of the 8 men whose serum testosterone concentrations became normal said that their hypogonadal symptoms were corrected by this treatment. We conclude that the transdermal administration of testosterone is an effective means of treating the majority of hypogonadal men who have a normal scrotum.

^* This work was supported by the Alza Corp. and USPHS Grants HD-13869 and RR-00040.

Received August 2, 1988.

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