5 alpha-reductase deficiency without hypospadias

Arch Dis Child. 1990 Oct;65(10):1166-7. doi: 10.1136/adc.65.10.1166.

Abstract

A boy aged 4 with penoscrotal hypospadias and his brother aged 12 with micropenis had typical changes of homozygous 5 alpha-reductase deficiency. After three injections of chorionic gonadotrophin there was a trivial rise in plasma dihydrotestosterone with a normal increase in plasma testosterone. Urine steroid chromatography showed abnormally high 5 beta: 5 alpha ratios and 5 alpha-reductase activity was appreciably reduced in genital skin fibroblasts. The results indicate that 5 alpha-reductase deficiency is not invariably associated with genital ambiguity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • 3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / deficiency*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / therapeutic use
  • Dihydrotestosterone / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypospadias / etiology*
  • Isomerism
  • Male
  • Penis / abnormalities*
  • Skin / enzymology
  • Testosterone / metabolism
  • Tetrahydrocortisol / analogs & derivatives
  • Tetrahydrocortisol / urine

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • Dihydrotestosterone
  • allotetrahydrocortisol
  • Testosterone
  • Tetrahydrocortisol
  • 3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase