Stimulatory effects of androgen on red blood cell number, hemoglobin and hematocrite value have been well evaluated. This study was done to evaluate the safety of oral uptake of mesterolone and intramuscular injection of testosterone enanthate when given either to impotent or infertile men on the mean values of blood indices. This work comprised 52 patients suffering form either impotence (25 patients) or male infertility (27 patients). Patients were divided into two groups: Mesterolone group (included patients randomized to receive 75 mg daily of oral mesterolone) and testosterone enanthate group (included patients randomized to receive 250 mg monthly of intramuscular testosterone enanthate). Different blood indices such as: venous hematocrite value, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were measured before and 3 months after administration of androgen therapy. Platelet count, red blood cells count and white blood cells count were also measured before and 3 months after treatment with androgen. Also, serum testosterone was measured before and at the end of the treatment period. There were statistically significant increases in the mean values of venous hematocrite value, hemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular volume among the two groups. Also, there were significant increase in Platelet count, red blood cell count, whit blood cell count and platelets count after the treatment period among both groups. There were no statistically significant changes in mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels among both groups 3 months after treatment. There were significant increases in both total leukocytic count and hematocrite value among mesterolone group in comparison with testosterone enanthate group. According to these results we can conclude that mean values of blood indices were significantly increased after administration of both oral and injectable androgens hence, the danger of hemoconcentration may develop. Intramuscular testosterone enanthate is safer on blood indices than oral mesterolone |
