Development of an index to evaluate symptoms in men with androgen deficiency.

Healthier lifestyles and better medical care are contributing to greater life expectancy in U.S. males. Couple this with the great emphasis our society places on youth, and it is not surprising that older men want to look, feel, and act younger. Androgen replacement may have a role in this setting, but it is not clear exactly what symptoms signal a problem or warrant therapy. A valid and reproducible index that sufficiently defines the problems experienced by androgen-deficient men will go a long way toward helping both researchers and clinicians better understand and manage these men.