title: Amount of Testosterone on Laundered Clothing After Use of Testosterone Topical 2% Solution by Healthy Male Volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Testosterone 2% solution (Axiron) applied to armpit(s) is used for replacement therapy in men with a deficiency of endogenous testosterone.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the amount of testosterone on subjects' T-shirts 12 hours after applying testosterone solution, the residual testosterone on subjects' T-shirts after laundering, and the testosterone transferred to unworn textile items during laundering with worn T-shirts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy males ≥18 years old applied 2 × 1.5 mL of testosterone 2% solution to both axillae (total testosterone dose: 120 mg) and dressed in cotton long-sleeved T-shirts after a ≥3-minute waiting period. T-shirts were worn 12 hours before being removed and cut into halves, after which a 10 × 10 cm sample of each armpit area was excised for testosterone quantification before or after laundering with samples of unworn textiles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Testosterone on worn T-shirts before and after laundering, and on unworn textiles laundered with the worn T-shirts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve subjects enrolled and completed, with only minor adverse events. Mean testosterone in unwashed worn T-shirts was 7603 μg, with high between-subject variability (3359 μg to 13,069 μg), representing 13% of the dose to 1 armpit. Mean testosterone in worn, laundered T-shirts was 260 μg (7.55 μg to 1343 μg), representing 3% of the dose to 1 armpit. Mean transferred testosterone to other textiles during laundering ranged from 69 μg on texturized Dacron 56T Double to 10,402 μg on 87/13 nylon/Lycra knit, representing 0.0382% to 5.78% of the dose to 1 armpit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thirteen percent of the testosterone applied to axillae was transferred to T-shirts during wear. Ninety-seven percent of the transferred testosterone was removed from the T-shirts during washing, some of which was then absorbed to various degrees by other textiles. Clinical implications of these findings and biological activity of the remaining/transferred testosterone are unknown.
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Electronic address: satonin_darlene_k@lilly.com.
authors.forename: Darlene K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Satonin
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: European Clinical Pharmacology, Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Malcolm I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: European Clinical Pharmacology, Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hellen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muram
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Small
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D003020:Clothing; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007846:Laundering; D008297:Male; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D013784:Textiles; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Clothing; Environmental Exposure; Testosterone; Transfer