Clinical and Etiological Aspects of Gynecomastia in Adult Males: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the characteristics of presentation, biochemical profile, and etiology of gynecomastia in adults. METHODS: Medical records of 237 men aged 18-85 years with gynecomastia were evaluated. RESULTS: Highest prevalence of gynecomastia was observed between 21 and 30 years (n = 74; 31.2%). The most common presenting complaints were aesthetic concerns (62.8%) and breast pain (51.2%). 25.3% of the subjects had a history of pubertal gynecomastia. 56.5% had bilateral gynecomastia. 39.9% were overweight and 22.8% were obese. The etiology could not be identified in 45.1% of the cases; the most frequent identified causes were anabolic steroids consumption (13.9%), hypogonadism (11.1%), and use of pharmaceutical drugs (7.8%). Patients with bilateral gynecomastia had a longer history of disease, higher BMI, and lower testosterone levels. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with gynecomastia presented more often with aesthetic concerns and secondarily with breast pain. The most frequent final diagnosis was idiopathic gynecomastia, whereas the most frequent identified etiologies were anabolic steroids consumption, hypogonadism, and use of pharmaceutical drugs. Despite the low frequency of etiologies such as thyroid dysfunction or adrenal carcinoma, we emphasize the importance of a thorough assessment of the patient, as gynecomastia may be the tip of the iceberg for the diagnosis of treatable diseases.

Clinical Presentation of Klinefelter's Syndrome: Differences According to Age.

The aim of the study was to establish the characteristics of presentation of 94 patients with Kinelfelter's syndrome (KS) referred to the endocrinologist at different ages. The diagnosis of KS was more frequent in the age group between 11 and 20 years (46.8%). Most of the patients (83.7%) showed the classic 47,XXY karyotype and 7.1% showed a 47,XXY/46,XY mosaicism. Half of the patients younger than 18 years presented mild neurodevelopmental disorders. The most frequent clinical findings were cryptorchidism in prepubertal patients, and small testes, cryptorchidism, and gynecomastia in pubertal patients. FSH, LH, AMH, and inhibin B levels were normal in prepubertal patients and became abnormal from midpuberty. Most adults were referred for small testes, infertility, and gynecomastia; 43.6% had sexual dysfunction. Testosterone levels were low in 45%. Mean stature was above the 50th percentile, and 62.5% had BMI ≥25.0 kg/m(2). In conclusion, the diagnosis of Klinefelter syndrome seems to be made earlier nowadays probably because pediatricians are more aware that boys and adolescents with neuro-developmental disorders and cryptorchidism are at increased risk. The increasing use of prenatal diagnosis has also decreased the mean age at diagnosis and allowed to get insight into the evolution of previously undiagnosed cases, which probably represent the mildest forms. In adults average height and weight are slightly higher than those in the normal population. Bone mineral density is mildly affected, more at the spine than at the femoral neck level, in less than half of cases.

Mosaicismo 45, X y 46, X del Y (q11) en varones infértiles con fenotipo normal / Mosaicism 45, X y 46, X of Y (q11) in infertile men with normal phenotype

Es conocido que pacientes con trastornos severos de la espermatogénesis presentan alteraciones cromosómicas. En el brazo largo del cromosoma Y se encuentran los genes vinculados con la formación de gametas, por lo que deleciones en esta región del cromosoma son la causa de azoospermia u oligospermia severa. Dichas deleciones pueden presentarse en todas las líneas celulares o bien sólo en algunas de ellas, evidenciándose en línea pura o en mosaico con una línea 45,X en distintos porcentajes, lo que condiciona la variabilidad en la expresión del fenotipo. Este estudio tiene como objetivo correlacionar el fenotipo y el cariotipo en pacientes infértiles con diferenciación sexual masculina. El estudio cromosómico efectuado en tres pacientes puso en evidencia dos líneas celulares (mosaicismo), una de ellas 45,X y otra 46,X del (Y) (q11). Desde el punto de vista clínico, dos pacientes que presentaban la línea celular a 45,X en muy bajo porcentaje (3 y 5 por ciento) presentaban talla baja, no familiar, (uno con estigmas turnerianos, cuello y cuarto metacarpiano corto), vello escaso y disminución del volumen testicular. El tercer paciente cuya línea 45,X se encontró en un 32 por ciento, la única expresión fenotípica fue inecomastia bilateral. Los tres casos cursaron con niveles de FSH elevados en forma basal o en respuesta al estímulo con GnRH, pero sólo el paciente con estigmas turnereanos presentó niveles elevados de estradiol sérico. Además de lo mencionado sobre los genes de la espermatogénesis en el brazo largo del Y, también se encuentran aquello que intervienen en la talla, dismorfias y retraso madurativo. La variabilidad de expresión en estos tres pacientes pone en evidencia que otros factores independientes de la línea 45,X tienen implicancias en la expresión de su fenotipo