title: Testosterone correlated to symptoms of partial androgen deficiency in aging men (PADAM) in an elderly Swedish population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of different symptoms of partial androgen deficiency in aging men (PADAM) and to correlate them with blood concentrations of testosterone and bioavailable testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 370 men, aged 55 to 75 years, were invited to one of three primary healthcare centers in Sweden. They were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding demographic data, medical history, mood status, medication, castration therapy and smoking, exercise and alcohol habits, as well as different symptoms of PADAM. The 10 questions from a previously used questionnaire (the ADAM questionnaire) were included. The men were offered blood tests for analyses of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, steroid hormone-binding globulin, and albumin. From these test results, we calculated the bioavailable testosterone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the questionnaires sent out, 81.6% were returned and eligible for evaluation. Blood samples were obtained from 85.8% of men answering the questionnaire. Many of the symptoms, including five from the ADAM questionnaire, were more common in older age groups (P < 0.05). Three symptoms, deterioration in work performance, decreased strength and/or endurance, and bothersome hot flushes, were associated with low bioavailable testosterone and/or testosterone (P < 0.05). Testosterone and bioavailable testosterone did not differ between age groups, but bioavailable testosterone was higher in men with three or fewer symptoms on the ADAM questionnaire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms associated with PADAM often occur in an elderly population, but we could only find an association between three symptoms and blood testosterone concentrations, one being bothersome hot flushes. It is likely that these symptoms have a more complex background than only PADAM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Anna-Clara.Spetz@LiO.se
authors.forename: Anna-Clara E
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Spetz
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palmefors
authors.forename: R Staffan P
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Skobe
authors.forename: Martin T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Strömstedt
authors.forename: Mats G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fredriksson
authors.forename: Elvar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theodorsson
authors.forename: Mats L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hammar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D047649:Andropause; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone