Kallman's syndrome (KS) is the most frequent cause of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and affects approximately one in 10,000 males and one in 50,000 females.
Kallman's syndrome is a disorder of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, delayed puberty, and anosmia (the inability to smell).
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) occurs when the body does not produce enough of two important hormones, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
Anosmia, the inability to smell, was first described with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in 1856, but it was not until 1944 that an instance of Kallman's reported the inheritance of the two symptoms together in three separate families.
Hence, the syndrome of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia was named Kallman's syndrome (KS).