title: ANDROTEST: a structured interview for the screening of hypogonadism in patients with sexual dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Detecting hypogonadism, which is important in the general population, becomes crucial in patients with sexual dysfunctions, because hypogonadism can have a causal role for them and testosterone (T) substitution represents a milestone for the therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  No inventories are available for the screening of hypogonadism in patients with sexual dysfunction. We wished to set up a brief structured interview providing scores useful for detecting hypogonadism defined as low total T (<10.4 nmol/L, 300 ng/dL) in a symptomatic population (sexual dysfunction).
  
  
  METHODS
  A minimum set of items was identified within a larger structured interview through iterative receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, with assessment of sensitivity and specificity for hypogonadism in a sample of 215 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensitivity and specificity were verified in a further sample of 664 patients. Correlation of test scores with prostate-specific antigen (PSA), testis volume, and others clinical and psychological parameters, was assessed for concurrent validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the validation sample, the final 12-item version of the interview (ANDROTEST) had a sensitivity and specificity of 68% and 65%, in detecting low total T (<10.4 nmol/L) and of 71% and 65%, in the screening for low free T (<37 pmol/L). Furthermore, patients with a pathological test (i.e., score >8) showed higher prevalence of hypogonadism-related signs, such as lower testis volume and higher depressive symptoms. Finally, when only younger patients (<54 years, which represents the median age of the sample) were considered, Log10 [PSA] levels were significantly lower in those with ANDROTEST score >8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ANDROTEST is a quick and easy-to-administer interview that provides scores for the screening of male hypogonadism in patients with sexual dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy;; Endocrinology Unit, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Section Geriatric Unit, Department of Critical Care, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mannucci
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrone
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balercia
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chiarini
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy;. Electronic address: m.maggi@DFC.UNIFI.IT.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone