[Androgen replacement therapy improves health-related quality of life in late onset hypogonadism patients].
We examined the effects of androgen replacement therapy (ART) on scores of a comprehensive health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) scale (SF-36) in late onset hypogonadism (LOH) patients. We received answer sheets on SF-36 from 112 men aged 37 to 75 years (mean 56.2) who underwent ART between September 2002 and June 2007. The serum free testosterone levels before ART was 7.32+/-2.09 pg/ml. 250 mg of testosterone enanthate was injected intra-muscularly once per 3-4 weeks for 3 months. When ART was effective to improve the symptoms, it was continued for a total of 6 months and was stopped. We evaluated the changes in score on SF-36 between pre-treatment and 3, 6, and 9 months after initiation of treatment. Although prior to ART all subcategory scores on SF-36 were lower than those for age-matched healthy Japanese men, each was significantly improved after beginning of ART, especially that for the role-emotional (RE), social functioning (SF), mental health (MH) and vitality (VT) subscales. No significant difference was noted between 3 months after initiation of treatment and 6 or 9 months (3 months after stopping ART) in any subcategory score. ART for LOH patients was effective not only in curing symptoms but also in improving HR-QOL. The effects of ART presented in early periods of treatments and were maintained at least 3 months after stopping the treatment.
Taniguchi
Hisanori
H
The Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University.
Kawa
Gen
G
Kinoshita
Hidefumi
H
Matsuda
Tadashi
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; C004648:testosterone enanthate