title: Elderly men over 65 years of age with late-onset hypogonadism benefit as much from testosterone treatment as do younger men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential benefits of testosterone administration to elderly men (>65 years) with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in comparison with younger men and to assess the safety of testosterone administration to elderly men.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 561 hypogonadal men from two registry studies were divided into age groups of ≤65 years (group Y, n=450; range, 32-65 years) and >65 years (group O, n=111; range, 66-84 years). Following an initial 6-week interval, all men were treated with 3-month injections of parenteral testosterone undecanoate for up to 6 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the 6 years, there was a progressive decrease of body weight and waist circumference. Beneficial effects on lipids and other metabolic factors and on psychological and sexual functioning progressed over the first 24 to 42 months and were sustained. Rather than a deterioration, there was an improvement of urinary parameters. Prostate volume and prostate-specific antigen increased moderately. Hematocrit levels increased but remained within safe margins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The benefits of restoring serum testosterone in men with LOH were not significantly different between men older than 65 years of age and younger men. There were no indications that side effects were more severe in elderly men. The effects on prostate and urinary function and hematocrit were within safe margins. Age itself need not be a contraindication to testosterone treatment of elderly men with LOH.
authors: Global Medical Affairs Andrology, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany. ; Gulf Medical University School of Medicine, Ajman, UAE.
authors: Farid
authors: F
authors: Saad
authors: Gulf Medical University School of Medicine, Ajman, UAE. ; Institute for Urology and Andrology, Norderstedt, Germany. ; Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.
authors: Aksam
authors: A
authors: Yassin
authors: Private Urology Practice, Bremerhaven, Germany.
authors: Ahmad
authors: A
authors: Haider
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Gheorghe
authors: G
authors: Doros
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine Section, VU medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Gooren
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D012042:Registries; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; C010792:testosterone undecanoate
keywords: Aging; Body weight; Erectile dysfunction; Hypogonadism; Testosterone