title: Testosterone replacement therapy improves the health-related quality of life of men diagnosed with late-onset hypogonadism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) improves the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of men with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), as studies have shown that sub-physiological testosterone levels have a negative impact on psychological (e.g. mood, vitality, libido and sexual interest) and physical features (e.g. erectile function and physical strength), all of which contribute to a sense of well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 261 patients (mean age 58 years) diagnosed with LOH were treated with long-acting intramuscular testosterone undecanoate (TU) for up to 5 years. Health quality indicators including the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale, and the percentage of patients reporting joint and muscle pain were measured at baseline and at each visit. The means were then plotted over time in parallel with mean total testosterone (TT) levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the mean IPSS and AMS scores fell significantly within the first 3 months and the mean IIEF-5 score and TT levels increased within the first 3 months. All four parameters continued to improve over the course of the trial. The percentage of patients reporting both joint and muscle pain decreased during TRT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prospective, observational and longitudinal analysis shows a clear improvement in both psychological and physical characteristics as physiological testosterone levels are reached and maintained contributing to an improvement in the HRQoL in men with diagnosed LOH.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Urology/Andrology, Norderstedt-Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Almehmadi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Urology/Andrology, Norderstedt-Hamburg, Germany; Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany; Gulf Medical University School of Medicine, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Aksam A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Yassin
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nettleship
authors.affiliation: Gulf Medical University School of Medicine, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Global Medical Affairs Men's Healthcare, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saad
keywords: AMS, Aging Males’ Symptoms (scale); Depression; ED, erectile dysfunction; Erectile dysfunction; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; IIEF-5, five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function; LOH, late-onset hypogonadism; Late-onset hypogonadism; Obesity; TRT, testosterone replacement therapy; TT, total testosterone; TU, testosterone undecanoate; Testosterone