title: The Randomized Control Trial of the Effects of Testosterone and a Nutritional Supplement On Hospital Admissions in Undernourished, Community Dwelling, Older People.
abstract: In a pilot single centre study we found that treatment of undernourished older, community dwelling people for one year with oral testosterone (placebo-controlled) and a nutritional supplement (no control) was associated with a significant reduction in hospitalizations. A larger, multicentre study was conducted to investigate further this potentially important finding.
  
  
  
  One year, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-centre, double-blind, trial.
  
  
  
  Community.
  
  
  
  53 undernourished men and women aged 65 years and older.
  
  
  
  Oral testosterone undecanoate (40 mg/day women, 160 mg/day men) and high energy oral nutritional supplement (2108-2416 kJ/day) or placebo medication and low energy (142-191 kJ/day) "placebo" oral nutritional supplementation.
  
  
  
  Hospital admissions, falls and other variables were assessed.
  
  
  
  53 subjects were recruited (64% male and mean age 77 years), which was substantially less than planned. Sixteen subjects (30%) were admitted to hospital at least once, with a total of 29 admissions. Eight subjects (32%) in the placebo arm were admitted to hospital, whilst in the intervention group also there were eight (29%) subjects admitted to hospital during the study period. There was no difference in the number of hospitalisations (P = 0.842), length of hospitalization (P=0.645) or quality of life [mental health P=0.195 and physical health P=0.451) between the treatment arms.
  
  
  
  In undernourished older people, treatment with testosterone and a nutritional supplementation did not reduce the number and length of hospitalisations or improve quality of life.
authors: Professor Renuka Visvanathan, University of Adelaide and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Department of Medicine and The Aged and Extended Care Services, Address: Level 8B, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville South, SA 5011, Telephone No: 08-82226887, Fax No: 08-82228593, e-mail: renuka.visvanathan@adelaide.edu.au.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Visvanathan
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Piantadosi
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Lange
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Naganathan
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Hunter
authors: I D
authors: ID
authors: Cameron
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000628:therapy*; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D011788:Quality of Life; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D013739:Testosterone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate