Subnormal serum testosterone levels in male internal medicine residents. |
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Authors: | F Singer B Zumoff |
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Affiliation: | Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York. |
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Abstract: | The consequences of sleep deprivation and stress in residency training have not been quantified. In the course of assembling a control group for other studies, we unexpectedly observed a significant (P less than 0.005) and marked depression of serum testosterone levels in healthy male internal medicine residents (means = 11.8 +/- 1.1 nmol/L, n = 7) compared with other hospital personnel (means = 20.6 +/- 5.3 nmol/L, n = 18). Testosterone concentrations in the two groups were entirely nonoverlapping, while luteinizing hormone levels were not significantly different. We conclude that the stress of residency training leads to a quantifiable depression of gonadal function, and that gonadal steroid concentrations may be useful in evaluating measures intended to reduce that stress. |
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