The onset of sperm production in pubertal boys. Relationship to gonadotropin excretion
H. E. Kulin, M. A. Frontera, L. M. Demers, M. J. Bartholomew and T. A. Lloyd
Department of Pediatrics, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.
To determine the relationship of gonadotropin excretion to spermarche, 26
boys ranging in age from 10.3 to 17.5 years each provided ten overnight
urine samples. Microscopic observation of sperm was found in 33 (13%) of
the 260 samples, with 50% of the boys exhibiting sperm in at least one
specimen. No further cumulative gain in detecting spermaturia occurred
after the seventh urine collection. The median age of spermarche was
computed by logistic regression analysis to be 14 years. Three urine
collections from each boy were assessed for gonadotropin levels. At age 14
years mean follicule-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone excretion
were, respectively, 857 and 503 mIU/h, into the reported adult daytime
range. Spermarche is a midpubertal event associated with age-appropriate
gonadotropin production.
