Sexually dimorphic anthropometric measurements in patients with hypospadias and cryptorchidism.

Background: Inappropriate exposure or activity of sex hormones in-utero has been postulated as a leading cause for the development of hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Anthropometric sexually dimorphic traits such as the 2^nd to 4^th digit ratio (2D:4D), anogenital distance (AGD) and the stretched penile length (SPL), have been associated with androgen and estrogen activity in-utero. Purpose: Evaluate anthropometric parameters in patients with hypospadias or cryptorchidism compared with healthy controls. Materials and methods: This is a case control study of male patients operated on between 2019 and 2020. Three groups were included: Hypospadias, cryptorchidism and a demographically similar control group. Anthropometric parameters 2D:4D, AGD and SPL were measured intra-operatively and compared between the groups. Results: Included in the study were 179 pediatric patients between the ages of 9-15 months (58 patients with hypospadias, 69 with cryptorchidism and 47 controls). There was no difference in AGD, 2D:4D and SPL between patients with cryptorchidism, hypospadias and controls. Conclusions: Anthropometric characteristics associated with androgen activity in utero were not different in patients with hypospadias and cryptorchidism compared with controls.