Transdermal Testosterone Treatment in Women With Impaired Sexual Function After Oophorectomy

Abstract

Background The ovaries provide approximately half the circulating testosterone in premenopausal women. After bilateral oophorectomy, many women report impaired sexual functioning despite estrogen replacement. We evaluated the effects of transdermal testosterone in women who had impaired sexual function after surgically induced menopause. Methods Seventy-five women, 31 to 56 years old, who had undergone oophorectomy and hysterectomy received conjugated equine estrogens (at least 0.625 mg per day orally) and, in random order, placebo, 150 μg of testosterone, and 300 μg of testosterone per day transdermally for 12 weeks each. Outcome measures included scores on the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women, the Psychological General Well-Being Index, and a sexual-function diary completed over the telephone. Results The mean (±SD) serum free testosterone concentration increased from 1.2±0.8 pg per milliliter (4.2±2.8 pmol per liter) during placebo treatment to 3.9±2.4 pg per milliliter (13.5±8.3 pmol per li...