title: The comparison of the aging male symptoms (AMS) scale and androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM) questionnaire to detect androgen deficiency in middle-aged men.
abstract: The prevalence of androgen deficiency in men increases with aging. Two  common instruments, the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale and the Androgen  Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire, are often used to screen  for androgen deficiency in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to  compare the capability of the AMS scale and the ADAM questionnaire to detect  androgen deficiency in middle-aged Taiwanese men. In April 2008, a free health  screening was conducted by Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. All  participants completed a health questionnaire and had blood samples drawn  between 8:00 am and noon. Serum total testosterone (TT), albumin,  and sex hormone-binding globulin levels were measured. The level of free  testosterone (FT) was calculated. Clinical symptoms associated with androgen  deficiency were screened by using the AMS scale and ADAM questionnaire.  Androgen deficiency was defined as TT < 300 ng/dL or both TT < 300 ng/dL  and FT< 5 ng/dL. In total, 339 men were included in the final analysis,  with the mean age of 54.6 ± 4.9 years (range, 47-65 years). Androgen  deficiency was found in 75 men (22.1%) based on the criteria of TT < 300  ng/dL, and in 54 men (15.9%) based on the criteria of TT < 300 ng/dL and FT  < 5 ng/dL. When detecting participants with both TT < 300 ng/dL and FT  < 5 ng/dL, the sensitivity and specificity of the AMS scale were 57.4% and  48.1%, compared with 66.7% and 25.6% for the ADAM questionnaire. In a sample  of middle-aged Taiwanese men, neither the AMS scale nor the ADAM questionnaire  had sufficient sensitivity and specificity to detect androgen deficiency. In  addition to using those 2 screening instruments, a thorough physical and  biochemical workup should still be conducted in patients at risk or suspected  of androgen deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tz-You 1st Rd, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuang-Shun
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chueh
authors.forename: Shu-Pin
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yung-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chii-Jye
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hsin-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Wei-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-Jeng
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yueh-Fong
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chia-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hsu-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Chun-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chia-Chu
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D047649:Andropause; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone