title: Transversal European survey on testosterone deficiency diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite being one of the relevant public health threats among ageing men, testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is under-recognized and under-diagnosed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess current clinical practices of European physicians regarding diagnosis and management of TDS compared with current guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postal survey conducted June-November 2008 in France, Germany, Italy and Spain among urologists, endocrinologists and general practitioners to collect information regarding knowledge of TDS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 801 respondents, the majority of endocrinologists and urologists had received training on TDS, either initially or as part of continuous medical education. TDS was recognized by 86.5% of physicians as a true clinical entity, and estimated the prevalence at 10-15% of the male population; 73.5% considered that symptoms and a low level of testosterone were required for diagnosis. Treatment preferences were quarterly intramuscular injections (26.3% of physicians), percutaneous gels (23.9%), matrix patch (21.2%), semi-monthly injections (15.4%) and oral therapy (13.4%). Adverse effects of testosterone replacement therapy, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, were a concern for physicians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TDS management appeared to be close to that recommended in international guidelines. Signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency were fairly well known, but some diagnostic and treatment variations were observed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Behre
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christin-Maitre
authors.forename: Antonio Martin
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tostain
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone