18 May Testosterone Therapy Lowered Mortality In Hypogonadal Men
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ranjith Ramasamy MD
Assistant Professor of Urology
University of Miami
Medical Research: What is the background for this study?
Dr. Ramasamy: The association between testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) and thrombotic risk in elderly men remains controversial. We evaluated the prevalence of thrombotic events and all-cause mortality in men older than 65 years with hypogonadism treated with testosterone therapy. We compared men treated with testosterone to an age and comorbidity matched cohort of hypogonadal men not treated with testosterone supplementation therapy.
Medical Research: What are the main findings?
Dr. Ramasamy: No man who received testosterone supplementation therapy died, whereas 6 hypogonadal men who did not receive TST died (p=0.007). There were 4 thrombotic events (1 MI – myocardial infarction, 2 CVA/TIA – stroke, 1 PE – pulmonary embolism) in men who received testosterone supplementation therapy compared to 1 event (CVA/TIA) among men who did not receive TST (p = 0.8). All the events (except one death which took place at 6 months of follow–up) occurred 2 years or more after follow–up. Strengths of the study include long follow–up (>3 years), availability of serum testosterone levels before and after therapy and of a control group (hypogonadal men not treated with TST) for comparison. Limitations included retrospective study design, and a small sample size.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Ramasamy: Consistent with the majority of the studies in the literature, there was increased all-cause mortality in hypogonadal men (men with total testosterone < 300 ng/dL) not treated with testosterone compared to men who received testosterone therapy. There was no difference in prevalence of MI, TIA/CVA, or PE between patients who were treated with testosterone and hypogonadal men not treated with testosterone.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Ramasamy: Long term randomized trials evaluating the benefits and risks of testosterone therapy in elderly men is necessary.
Citation:
Abstract Present at the 2015 American Urology Association
Sunday, May 17, 2015 1:00 PM-3:00 PM
NOMCC: 208-210
Sexual Function/Dysfunction/Andrology: Evaluation II
Funding: none
MP51-01: LH Suppression and Serum Testosterone is Positively Associated with Fewer Hypogonadal Symptoms in Men on Testosterone Supplementation
Jason Scovell*, Christina Mai, Michael Mederos, Ranjith Ramasamy, Dolores Lamb, Larry Lipshultz, Houston, TX
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MedicalResearch.com Interview with:, & Ranjith Ramasamy MD (2015). Testosterone Therapy Lowered Mortality In Hypogonadal Men
Last Updated on May 18, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD