title: Change in testosterone concentrations over time is a better predictor than the actual concentrations for symptoms of late onset hypogonadism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) and concentrations of testosterone (T) and bioavailable testosterone (BT) were studied in relation to the data from the same men 5 years earlier.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2008, 282 men, aged 60-82 years, answered a questionnaire regarding demographic data, medical history, different symptoms of LOH and the 10 questions from the 'Androgen Decline in Aging Males (ADAM)-questionnaire'. Blood samples were analysed for concentrations of T and calculations were made for BT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 87.2% of the questionnaires were returned and analysed, and 75.2% of the responders gave blood samples. The oldest third of the men were most affected by LOH symptoms (p < 0.05). Both T and BT concentrations decreased during the 5 years (p < 0.05) but only the symptom 'less strong erections' changed significantly (p < 0.05). Men reporting one of the four specific symptoms from the 'ADAM-questionnaire' for the first time in 2008 had a higher loss of T and BT than men who had unchanged or fewer symptoms than that reported in 2003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The magnitude of the decrease in concentrations is a better predictor of LOH than are the actual concentrations of T and BT. A combination of symptoms predicts LOH better than any single symptom.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Anna-Clara.Spetz.Holm@lio.se
authors.forename: Anna-Clara E Spetz
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Mats G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fredrikson
authors.forename: Elvar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theodorsson
authors.forename: Lennart G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Palmefors
authors.forename: Per S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joborn
authors.forename: Mats L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hammar
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone