OBJECTIVE: Low testosterone levels in men occur with increasing age and are associated with increased morbidity, particularly metabolic syndrome, and mortality. As the prevalence of hypogonadal testosterone levels has not been assessed in the primary care setting in Europe, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of low testosterone levels in this setting, and the patient characteristics and comorbidities associated with this finding. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, epidemiological study (the Diabetes Cardiovascular Risk-Evaluation: Targets and Essential Data for Commitment of Treatment (DETECT) study). PATIENTS: A total of 2719 male primary care patients (age 58.7 +/- 13.4 years) were included. MEASUREMENTS: Testosterone was measured in all patients. Information on diseases, risk conditions and treatments was documented by the primary care physicians. A large set of laboratory parameters was measured in a central laboratory. We calculated univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to assess the associations of low testosterone levels with different health and life style factors. RESULTS: A total of 19.3% of all men had hypogonadism as defined by testosterone levels < 3.0 ng/ml. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, intake of six or more drugs, acute inflammation and nonsmoking were associated with hypogonadal testosterone levels. Higher age, liver diseases, and cancer were associated with very low testosterone levels (< 1.0 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Hypogonadal testosterone levels are common in primary care, particularly in patients with the above conditions.
OBJECTIVE: Low testosterone levels in men occur with increasing age and are associated with increased morbidity, particularly metabolic syndrome, and mortality. As the prevalence of hypogonadal testosterone levels has not been assessed in the primary care setting in Europe, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of low testosterone levels in this setting, and the patient characteristics and comorbidities associated with this finding. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, epidemiological study (the Diabetes Cardiovascular Risk-Evaluation: Targets and Essential Data for Commitment of Treatment (DETECT) study). PATIENTS: A total of 2719 male primary care patients (age 58.7 +/- 13.4 years) were included. MEASUREMENTS: Testosterone was measured in all patients. Information on diseases, risk conditions and treatments was documented by the primary care physicians. A large set of laboratory parameters was measured in a central laboratory. We calculated univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to assess the associations of low testosterone levels with different health and life style factors. RESULTS: A total of 19.3% of all men had hypogonadism as defined by testosterone levels < 3.0 ng/ml. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, intake of six or more drugs, acute inflammation and nonsmoking were associated with hypogonadal testosterone levels. Higher age, liver diseases, and cancer were associated with very low testosterone levels (< 1.0 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Hypogonadal testosterone levels are common in primary care, particularly in patients with the above conditions.
Authors: K K Tsilidis; S Rohrmann; K A McGlynn; S J Nyante; D S Lopez; G Bradwin; M Feinleib; C E Joshu; N Kanarek; W G Nelson; E Selvin; E A Platz Journal: Andrology Date: 2013-09-30 Impact factor: 3.842
Authors: Harald Jörn Schneider; Henri Wallaschofski; Henry Völzke; Marcello Ricardo Paulista Markus; Marcus Doerr; Stephan B Felix; Matthias Nauck; Nele Friedrich Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-03-16 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Jie Zhao; Chaoqiang Jiang; Tai Hing Lam; Bin Liu; Kar Keung Cheng; Lin Xu; Shiu Lun Au Yeung; Weisen Zhang; Gabriel M Leung; C Mary Schooling Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-05-07 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Judith S Brand; Maroeska M Rovers; Bu B Yeap; Harald J Schneider; Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen; Robin Haring; Giovanni Corona; Altan Onat; Marcello Maggio; Claude Bouchard; Peter C Y Tong; Richard Y T Chen; Masahiro Akishita; Jourik A Gietema; Marie-Hélène Gannagé-Yared; Anna-Lena Undén; Aarno Hautanen; Nicolai P Goncharov; Philip Kumanov; S A Paul Chubb; Osvaldo P Almeida; Hans-Ulrich Wittchen; Jens Klotsche; Henri Wallaschofski; Henry Völzke; Jussi Kauhanen; Jukka T Salonen; Luigi Ferrucci; Yvonne T van der Schouw Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-07-14 Impact factor: 3.240