Adiponectin and testosterone in patients with symptoms of late‐onset hypogonadism: Is there a link?

Abstract

To examine the correlation between testosterone and adiponectin in symptomatic late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) patients. The study included 174 patients (>40 years old) with at least one LOH symptom and an Aging Male Symptoms score >26. The correlation between serum adiponectin levels and various factors was investigated by simple and multiple regression analyses. Serum adiponectin levels before and after testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in 43 patients with serum free testosterone <11.8 pg/mL were also compared. Serum adiponectin levels increased with increased age (P < 0.01), decreased with increased body mass index (P < 0.01), and increased with increased sex hormone-binding globulin (P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that body mass index and sex hormone-binding globulin were factors with an influence on serum adiponectin levels. However, no association between testosterone and adiponectin was found. In the 43 patients receiving TRT, serum adiponectin levels before and after TRT did not differ significantly. Serum adiponectin is not related to serum testosterone in symptomatic LOH patients, suggesting that TRT in these subjects does not pose a higher risk of inducing a metabolic syndrome.