No AccessJournal of UrologyAndrology/Testes1 Aug 1996The Effect of Prepubertal Androgen Exposure on Adult Penile Length Ronald S. Sutherland, Barry A. Kogan, Laurence S. Baskin, Robert A. Mevorach, Felix Conte, Selna L. Kaplan, and Melvin M. Grumbach Ronald S. SutherlandRonald S. Sutherland , Barry A. KoganBarry A. Kogan , Laurence S. BaskinLaurence S. Baskin , Robert A. MevorachRobert A. Mevorach , Felix ConteFelix Conte , Selna L. KaplanSelna L. Kaplan , and Melvin M. GrumbachMelvin M. Grumbach View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(01)65814-2AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract Purpose: Recent studies in the rat suggest that early exposure to exogenous testosterone accelerates the loss of androgen receptors and compromises eventual penile length. To determine whether this is true in men we measured adult penile length of patients treated in childhood for sexual precocity. Materials and Methods: We examined 21 men with sexual precocity due to true precocious puberty (12) or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (9) who had been followed at our institution since childhood. Penile lengths were compared with data from normal men. Results: Mean stretched penile length plus or minus standard deviation was 12.7 plus/minus 2.6 cm. in all patients, 12.1 plus/minus 2.6 cm. in those with true precocious puberty and 13.6 plus/minus 1.6 cm. in those with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. These lengths were not significantly different from those of normal men (12.4 plus/minus 2.7 cm.). Conclusions: In contrast to findings in rats, exposure to endogenous testosterone during gestation and/or childhood does not reduce adult penile length in men. Thus, the use of testosterone to treat childhood genitourinary anomalies would likely not compromise mature penile size. References 1 : Surgical management of microphallus. J. Urol.1971; 105: 901. Link, Google Scholar 2 : Micropenis and its management. Birth Defects1977; 13: 147. Google Scholar 3 : Early determination of androgen-responsiveness is important in the management of microphallus. Lancet1979; 2: 983. Google Scholar 4 : Micropenis: medical and surgical implications. J. Urol.1994; 152: 4. Link, Google Scholar 5 : The use of parenteral testosterone therapy in genital reconstructive surgery. J. Urol., part 21987; 138: 1077. Abstract, Google Scholar 6 : Effect of parenteral testosterone therapy on penile development in boys with hypospadias. Brit. J. Urol.1993; 71: 593. Google Scholar 7 : Microphallus: eventual phallic size is dependent on the timing of androgen administration. J. Urol., part 21994; 152: 734. Abstract, Google Scholar 8 : Micropenis: does early treatment with testosterone do more harm than good?. J. Urol., part 21995; 154: 825. Abstract, Google Scholar 9 : Androgen receptor of rat penis is down-regulated by androgen. Amer. J. Physiol.1990; 258: E46. Google Scholar 10 : Decreased levels of the androgen receptor in the mature rat phallus are associated with decreased levels of androgen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid. Endocrinology1991; 129: 1093. Google Scholar 11 : Clinical review 14: pathophysiology and treatment of sexual precocity. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab.1990; 71: 785. Google Scholar 12 : Puberty: ontogeny, neuroendocrinology, physiology, and disorders. In: William's Textbook of Endocrinology. Edited by . Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co.1992: 1139. chapt. 22. Google Scholar 13 : Primary and secondary sexual characteristics: study of their development in males from birth through maturity, with biometric study of penis and testes. Amer. J. Dis. Child.1943; 65: 535. Google Scholar 14 : The relationship between penile length in the flaccid and erect states: guidelines for penile lengthening?. J. Urol., part 21995; 153: 374A. abstract 582. Google Scholar 15 : Penis size increase between flaccid and erect states: an analysis of the Kinsey data. J. Sex Res.1988; 24: 177. Google Scholar 16 : Physical growth: National Center for Health Statistics percentiles. Amer. J. Clin. Nutr.1979; 32: 607. Google Scholar 17 : Disorders of sex differentiation. In: William's Textbook of Endocrinology. Edited by . Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co.1992: 853. chapt. 14. Google Scholar 18 : Studies on human sexual development. II. Fetal and maternal serum gonadotropin and sex steroid concentrations. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab.1974; 38: 612. Google Scholar 19 : Problems in fetal endocrinology: the gonadal and hypophyseal hormones. Rec. Prog. Horm. Res.1953; 8: 379. Google Scholar 20 : Fetal phallic growth and penile standards for newborn male infants. J. Ped.1975; 86: 395. Google Scholar 21 : Disorders of the testes and male reproductive tract. In: William's Textbook of Endocrinology. Edited by . Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co.1992: 799. chapt. 13. Google Scholar 22 : The ontogeny of the androgen receptor in human foreskin. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab.1981; 52: 919. Google Scholar 23 : Hormonal changes in puberty. 3. Correlation of plasma testosterone, LH, FSH, testicular size, and bone age with male pubertal development. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab.1972; 34: 319. Google Scholar 24 : Changes in amount and intracellular distribution of androgen receptor in human foreskin as a function of age. J. Clin. Invest.1987; 79: 44. Google Scholar 25 : Effects of neonatal steroids on male sex tissues. Invest. Urol.1979; 17: 3. Google Scholar 26 : Identification, partial characterization and age-related changes of a cytoplasmic androgen receptor in the rat penis. J. Steroid Biochem.1980; 13: 1489. Google Scholar 27 : Molecular biology of androgen action: testosterone/dihydrotestosterone receptor and androgen 5 alpha-reductase in the human foreskin. J. Steroid Biochem.1986; 24: 239. Google Scholar 28 : Testosterone down-regulates the levels of androgen receptor mRNA in smooth muscle cells from the rat corpora cavernosa via aromatization to estrogens. J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol.1993; 45: 333. Google Scholar 29 : Enigmatic features of penile development and functions. Perspect. Biol. Med.1990; 33: 335. Google Scholar 30 : A histological study of the development of the penis of wild-type and androgen-insensitive mice. J. Anat.1987; 153: 223. Google Scholar From the Departments of Urology and Pediatrics, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, California.© 1996 by American Urological Association, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byHusmann D (2018) EDITORIAL: MICROPHALLIC HYPOSPADIAS-THE USE OF HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN AND TESTOSTERONE BEFORE SURGICAL REPAIRJournal of Urology, VOL. 162, NO. 4, (1440-1441), Online publication date: 1-Oct-1999.Baskin L, Sutherland R, DiSandro M, Hayward S, Lipschutz J and Cunha G (2018) The Effect of Testosterone on Androgen Receptors and Human Penile GrowthJournal of Urology, VOL. 158, NO. 3, (1113-1118), Online publication date: 1-Sep-1997. Volume 156Issue 2SAugust 1996Page: 783-787 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 1996 by American Urological Association, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ronald S. Sutherland More articles by this author Barry A. Kogan More articles by this author Laurence S. Baskin More articles by this author Robert A. Mevorach More articles by this author Felix Conte More articles by this author Selna L. Kaplan More articles by this author Melvin M. Grumbach More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Sutherland et al. (1996) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 3 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: