Etiologic classification of severe hypospadias: Implications for prognosis and management

N. Albers*, C. Ulrichs, S. Gluer, O. Hiort, G. H.G. Sinnecken, H. Mildenberger, J. Brodehl

*Corresponding author for this work
95 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: Classification of severe hypospadias employing a broad array of diagnostic tools. Standardization of a diagnostic approach to children with hypospadias. Identification of patients at risk of having malignancies and endocrine problems. Design: Retrospective analysis of patients in a single-center study. Subjects: Thirty-three patients with severe (scrotal or penoscrotal) hypospadias, aged 1 to 18 years. Methods: Clinical assessment, ultrasonography, karyotyping, endocrine evaluation including adrenal steroid concentrations, sex hormone-binding globulin test for androgen sensitivity, human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation with determination of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations to exclude 5α-reductase deficiency, and molecular genetic analysis of the androgen receptor gene and the 5α- reductase gene. Results: In 12 patients the cause was clarified. Diagnoses included Drash syndrome with Wilms tumor in infancy (3 patients), partial androgen insensitivity resulting from androgen receptor mutations (2), true hermaphroditism (2), chromosomal aberration (1), deficiency of antimullerian hormone (1), gonadal dysgenesis (1), partial 5α-reductase deficiency caused by a novel point mutation (1), and XX-male syndrome (1). Twelve patients had associated findings such as cardiac malformations (3 patients), rectal atresia (1), dilation of urinary tract (2), cystinuria (1), and others. Conclusions: Patients with severe hypospadias should be submitted to a standardized set of diagnostic procedures in infancy. A stepwise diagnostic study avoids unnecessary, invasive, and expensive testing. A high proportion of classified causes can be expected. Patients at risk of having malignancies or hormonal disorders must remain under close surveillance.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Pediatrics
Volume131
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)386-392
Number of pages7
ISSN0022-3476
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1997

Funding

Supported in part by a scholarship of Sandoz Foundationf or Therapeutic Research (Dr. Hiort) and by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Hi 497/3-2 and Hi 497/4-1 to Dr. Hiort; Si 323/2-2 to Dr. Sinnecker) and from the Bundesministerium fiir Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologle (01KY93011 to Drs. Hiort and Sinnecker). Presented in part at the AnnualM eeting of the German Societyf or Pediatrics, Hannover, Germany, September 1994. Submitted for publication Dec. 6, 1995; accepted Dec. 5, 1996. Reprint requests: Norbert APoers,M D, Universit~'tskinderldinik, Adenauerallee 119, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Copyright O 1997 by Mosby-YearB ook, Inc. 0022-3476/97/$5.00 + 0 9/21/79708 Hypospadias is among the most common anomalies of the male genitalia, with an incidence varying between 0.04% and 0.5%. 1"a Though several studies have investigated the causes of this heterogeneous disorder, 4"8 no data exist for the classification of hypospadias employing methods covering all known causes. Known causes include decreased androgen sensitivity?' 10 5~z-reduetase deft-eieney, TM and chromosomal abnormalities. 14,15

Research Areas and Centers

  • Academic Focus: Center for Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM)

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