title: The effect of testosterone supplementation on depression symptoms in hypogonadal men from the Testim Registry in the US (TRiUS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of long-term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on depression symptoms in hypogonadal men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from TRiUS, a multicenter, 12-month observational registry (N = 849) of hypogonadal men prescribed 1% testosterone gel. Measures including total testosterone (TT) were assessed at baseline and months 3, 6, and 12. Depression symptoms were measured with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated self-report questionnaire. A PHQ-9 score decrease of ≥5 represents clinical improvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PHQ-9 scores were available for 762/849 TRiUS participants at baseline. Overall, 92.4% (704/762) demonstrated some level of depressive symptoms, with 17.3% (132/762) having moderately severe (score 15-19) to severe (score 20-27) symptoms. Subcohorts with significantly (p ≤ 0.03) more moderately severe to severe symptoms were: <60 years old, TT levels <250 ng/dl (<8.68 nmol/l), HIV/AIDS-positive, or used antidepressants or opioids. TT levels and PHQ-9 scores improved significantly (p < 0.01) by 3 months of TRT. At 12 months PHQ-9 scores showed a clinically meaningful mean improvement of 5.62 points, patients with moderately severe to severe symptoms decreased from 17.3% to 2.1% (5/233), and subcohorts, including those defined by age (<60 years) and antidepressant use, had improved PHQ-9 scores ≥5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TRT may reduce depression symptoms in hypogonadal men, including middle-aged men and those using antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. mkhera@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khera
authors.forename: Rajib K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blick
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kushner
authors.forename: Dat
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Martin M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Miner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone