Androgen therapy: testing before prescribing and monitoring during therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the extent to which biochemical testing is used to diagnose androgen deficiency before initiating treatment and to learn whether recommendations for clinical monitoring of men taking androgen therapy are being followed.


METHODS
Population-based retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Winnipeg, Man.


METHODS
A total of 902 men who filled at least 2 prescriptions for androgen therapy.


METHODS
Whether men had had baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone testing before initiation of therapy and whether men had been monitored during the first year of treatment.


RESULTS
Of the 902 men who filled first-time prescriptions during the study period, only 475 (52.7%) had ever had PSA or testosterone tests. Before starting therapy, 315 men (34.9%) had had PSA tests, and 152 men (16.9%) had had testosterone tests. Less than 1% of the entire sample had had 3 or more tests during the year following initiation of therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Indications for androgen therapy in this population appear to be based on clinical symptoms rather than on demonstrated biochemical androgen deficiency. Recommendations for clinical monitoring of men taking androgen therapy are not followed consistently.
Katz
Alan
A
408-727 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB. Alan_Katz@cpe.umanitoba.ca
Katz
Anne
A
Burchill
Charles
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005194:Family Practice; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism
D013739:Testosterone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen