title: Diabetes mellitus is associated with subnormal serum levels of free testosterone in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and serum levels of free (FT) and total (TT) testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out including 746 men, of whom 116 (15.6%) were diabetics. Both groups, diabetic and nondiabetic, were paired according to age. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated, and a stratification analysis correlating DM and elevated BMI (>25 kg/m(2)) and WHR (>1) with the presence of subnormal FT and TT levels was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FT and TT serum levels were subnormal in 46% and 34% of diabetics, respectively, and in 24% and 23% of nondiabetics. Subnormal FT levels were strongly correlated with DM (odds ratio (OR) 2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-4.1) but not with elevated BMI (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0-2.0). Subnormal TT levels were more strongly associated with elevated BMI and WHR (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7-3.9 and 2.0; 1.4-2.9) than with DM (1.7; 1.1-2.6 and 2.0; 1.3-3.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data strongly suggest that DM is associated with subnormal FT levels, and that TT levels are influenced more by obesity and central adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Urology, Federal Foundation of Medical Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. ernanirhoden@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ernani L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rhoden
authors.forename: Eduardo P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teloken
authors.forename: Carlos A V
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Souto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone