Estrogen therapy in a male patient with chronic hepatitis C and irradiation-induced testicular dysfunction

Intern Med. 2001 Feb;40(2):100-4. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.40.100.

Abstract

We report an 18-year-old male patient who developed chronic hepatitis C after blood transfusion and had testicular dysfunction after irradiation for a testicular relapse of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia after cessation of maintenance therapy, and the initiation of testosterone replacement therapy at puberty. Concomitant administration of estradiol resulted in a reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase and ferritin levels and hepatic iron concentration and staining after 2 years of estrogen therapy, although interferon therapy was withdrawn because of adverse effects. This observation suggests that endogenous estradiol may play a beneficial role in male patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biopsy
  • Collagen / analysis
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Estradiol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Estradiol / deficiency
  • Estradiol / physiology
  • Estradiol / therapeutic use*
  • Estrogen Replacement Therapy*
  • Ferritins / analysis
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone / blood
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / blood
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Humans
  • Hypogonadism / drug therapy
  • Hypogonadism / etiology*
  • Hypogonadism / metabolism
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
  • Iron / analysis
  • Leukemic Infiltration / radiotherapy
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / pathology
  • Luteinizing Hormone / blood
  • Male
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / radiotherapy
  • Radiation Injuries / etiology*
  • Radiotherapy / adverse effects*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Testicular Diseases / drug therapy
  • Testicular Diseases / etiology*
  • Testicular Diseases / metabolism
  • Testis / pathology
  • Testis / radiation effects
  • Testosterone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Testosterone / deficiency
  • Testosterone / therapeutic use
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Testosterone
  • Estradiol
  • testosterone enanthate
  • Luteinizing Hormone
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone
  • Collagen
  • Ferritins
  • Iron
  • Alanine Transaminase