Testosterone therapy improves psychological distress and health-related quality of life in Chinese men with symptomatic late-onset hypogonadism patients - Abstract

Background: Late onset hypogonadism negatively impacts on men's psychological well-being.

More studies are needed in examining the interrelationship among symptoms of testosterone deficiency, psychological well-being and quality of life.

Methods: Eligible subjects were randomized into active treatment and control groups, and were asked to complete the following questionnaires at baseline and Month 6: Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) rating scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and The Short Form Health Survey-12 (SF-12). In this study, men were treated and monitored for 6 months with oral testosterone undecanoate (TU) capsules or vitamin E/C capsules in a single-blinded fashion. All in the active treatment group were orally administered a total of 120-160 mg TU on a daily basis. Total and free T levels between baseline and Month 6 were compared.

Results: One hundred and sixty eligible subjects were recruited and followed up. In the active treatment group, total serum testosterone concentrations before and after intervention were 230 ± 21 and 395 ± 34 ng/dL. The mean HADS anxiety subscale scores for the subjects at baseline and at Month 6 were 3.47 ± 0.4 and 1.72 ± 0.2, respectively (t = 1.526, p < 0.05). Additionally, the mean HADS depression subscale scores were 4.91 ± 0.6 and 2.39 ± 0.3, respectively (t = 3.466, p < 0.05). The mean scores on the PSS for the subjects at baseline and at Month 6 were 12.88 ± 2.1 and 9.83 ± 1.7, respectively (t = 4.009, p < 0.05). Significantly improved SF-12 could be observed (t = 1.433 and 1.118, respectively; both p < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the control group at Month 6.

Conclusion: Androgen replacement not only improves androgen deficiency-associated symptoms, but is also improves comprehensive improvement in psychological issues.

Written by:
Xiaowei Z, Zhenhua L, Yeqing Y, Wenjun B, Xiaofeng W, Huan S, Yongping Z.   Are you the author?
Urology Department, and Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.

Reference: Aging Male. 2013 Jan 10. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.3109/13685538.2012.754007


PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23305482

UroToday.com Androgen Deficiency Section