Correlation between Serum Testosterone Level and Erythrocytosis in Adolescent Males- A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s): Ariel Ben, Abu Arisha Rana*, Bechor Ariel Tal, Yana Moshe, Leibzon Maor, Ben-Acon Michael and Sharon Nechama

Background: Androgens and testosterone can induce erythrocytosis in several mechanisms. Adolescent males often present to primary clinics with an elevated Red Blood Cell values without Hemoglobin abnormalities. We investigated the correlation between serum testosterone levels and red blood cell values.

Methods: 91 adolescents who were referred to the Emergency department were included in the trial, for which a complete blood count and serum testosterone were obtained, along with assessing Tanner score. Patients were divided into two groups with high and low red blood cell count. Mann -Whitney U test was performed to compare Serum testosterone level and Tanner score between the groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the correlation between red blood cell count and Testosterone levels.

Results: Testosterone levels was higher in the erythrocytosis group 14.05 (SD 5.53) vs non erythrocytosis group 11.94 (SD 7.38) although it did not meet statistical significance (p-value = 0.168). There is a weak positive correlation (Pearson’s R = 0.146) between testosterone and erythrocyte levels.

Conclusion: In healthy adolescent males, whose serum testosterone levels are within normal range we observed erythrocytosis in 22% of patients. Testosterone levels was positively correlated with the Red blood cell count.

Trial Registration: Trial was registrated in the Israeli ministery of health database – date 27/10/2020 – MOH_2020-10-27-009444