Prevalence and Risk Factors of Testosterone Deficiency in Aging Thai Male Outpatients

Abstract

Background: Testosterone deficiency in men, characterized by a reduced concentration of serum testosterone, causes a constellation of signs and symptoms that may include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, increased body fat, fatigue, and psychological problem. Testosterone deficiency in adult men is often overlooked, because they ignore their symptoms or attribute them to alternate causes, including aging and underlying diseases that made them lose the opportunity for treatment. The present study aimed to describe the prevalence of testosterone deficiency and to study potential risk factors associated with testosterone deficiency among Thai men in Phramongutklao Hospital. Objective: To determine the prevalence of testosterone deficiency and potential risk factors associated with testosterone deficiency in Thai men. Materials and Methods: Thai male older than 40 years old who visited in urological outpatient unit at Phramongkutklao Hospital between July and October 2018 were included. Demographic data, medical information, and the androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM) questionnaires were collected. The participants having symptoms of testosterone deficiency from ADAM questionnaires were requested to measure serum total testosterone levels and were repeated if serum testosterone level was less than 300 ng/dL. Results: Data from 156 men were collected. The mean age of the participants was 67±8.73 years. Prevalence of testosterone deficiency was 5.8%. Obesity, waist circumference at or greater than 90 cm, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were identified as risk factors of testosterone deficiency. There was an association between three symptoms of ADAM questionnaires, which were decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and decreased enjoyment of life, with testosterone deficiency. Conclusion: Prevalence of testosterone deficiency among Thai men at Phramongkutklao Hospital is about 5.8%. Clarification of the underlying causes for the changes in testosterone level may provide helpful information so that preventive action can be taken. Low libido, erectile dysfunction, and decreased enjoyment of life may be specific symptoms of testosterone deficiency and should be the questions to ask the suspected patients. Keywords: Testosterone deficiency; Total testosterone; Prevalence; ADAM questionnaires