Androgen insufficiency in ageing men: how is it defined and should it be treated?
Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: The concept that the age-related decline in testosterone levels is a medical condition which will respond to treatment has gained widespread acceptance with doctors and the public, in advance of the available evidence. The clinical assessment tools for diagnosing androgen deficiency have poor sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, the commercially available testosterone assays are not sufficiently robust, particularly at the lower reference range, and in many cases a local reference range has not been determined in men known to have normal gonadal function. This is clearly an area where the clinical chemist can contribute.
The benefits and risks of prolonged exposure to testosterone in previously healthy older men are unknown. It is thus not recommended that men without clearly defined testicular or pituitary hypogonadism be treated with testosterone until this evidence is available.
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Author: Penelope Coates
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W64621643