title: A pilot study assessing the impact of heat on the transdermal delivery of testosterone.
abstract: This study evaluated the effect of locally applied heat on the transdermal delivery of testosterone. Six healthy adult volunteers were tested three times while receiving a 5 mg androgen patch, the same patch with a heat-generating patch, and no patch at all over 12 hours. Statistically significant differences in mean maximum serum testosterone concentration values were seen. Heat plus patch resulted in a mean maximum serum testosterone concentration of 939 ng/dl versus 635 ng/dl (patch only) and 425 ng/dl (no patch). (Heat + patch vs. no patch: p < 0.001; heat + patch vs. patch: p < 0.001; patch vs. no patch: p = 0.003.) The area under the curve of plasma testosterone concentration versus time values were means of 4114 ng/dl.h versus 1985 ng/dl.h for the patch-only group (p = 0.001). The use of heat improved absorption of transdermal testosterone and decreased time to peak serum testosterone concentrations, resulting in a statistically significant difference in mean maximum serum testosterone concentrations compared with the use of the patch without heat.
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, 1960 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822-2319, USA.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shomaker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ashburn
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone