Dataset Information

Association of Testosterone Levels With Anemia in Older Men: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

In one-third of older men with anemia, no recognized cause can be found.

Objective

To determine if testosterone treatment of men 65 years or older with unequivocally low testosterone levels and unexplained anemia would increase their hemoglobin concentration.

Design, setting, and participants

A double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with treatment allocation by minimization using 788 men 65 years or older who have average testosterone levels of less than 275 ng/dL. Of 788 participants, 126 were anemic (hemoglobin ?12.7 g/dL), 62 of whom had no known cause. The trial was conducted in 12 academic medical centers in the United States from June 2010 to June 2014.

Interventions

Testosterone gel, the dose adjusted to maintain the testosterone levels normal for young men, or placebo gel for 12 months.

Main outcomes and measures

The percent of men with unexplained anemia whose hemoglobin levels increased by 1.0 g/dL or more in response to testosterone compared with placebo. The statistical analysis was intent-to-treat by a logistic mixed effects model adjusted for balancing factors.

Results

The men had a mean age of 74.8 years and body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 30.7; 84.9% were white. Testosterone treatment resulted in a greater percentage of men with unexplained anemia whose month 12 hemoglobin levels had increased by 1.0 g/dL or more over baseline (54%) than did placebo (15%) (adjusted OR, 31.5; 95% CI, 3.7-277.8; P?=?.002) and a greater percentage of men who at month 12 were no longer anemic (58.3%) compared with placebo (22.2%) (adjusted OR, 17.0; 95% CI, 2.8-104.0; P?=?.002). Testosterone treatment also resulted in a greater percentage of men with anemia of known cause whose month 12 hemoglobin levels had increased by 1.0 g/dL or more (52%) than did placebo (19%) (adjusted OR, 8.2; 95% CI, 2.1-31.9; P?=?.003). Testosterone treatment resulted in a hemoglobin concentration of more than 17.5 g/dL in 6 men who had not been anemic at baseline.

Conclusions and relevance

Among older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone treatment significantly increased the hemoglobin levels of those with unexplained anemia as well as those with anemia from known causes. These increases may be of clinical value, as suggested by the magnitude of the changes and the correction of anemia in most men, but the overall health benefits remain to be established. Measurement of testosterone levels might be considered in men 65 years or older who have unexplained anemia and symptoms of low testosterone levels.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00799617.

SUBMITTER: Roy CN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5433757 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Association of Testosterone Levels With Anemia in Older Men: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Roy Cindy N CN Snyder Peter J PJ Stephens-Shields Alisa J AJ Artz Andrew S AS Bhasin Shalender S Cohen Harvey J HJ Farrar John T JT Gill Thomas M TM Zeldow Bret B Cella David D Barrett-Connor Elizabeth E Cauley Jane A JA Crandall Jill P JP Cunningham Glenn R GR Ensrud Kristine E KE Lewis Cora E CE Matsumoto Alvin M AM Molitch Mark E ME Pahor Marco M Swerdloff Ronald S RS Cifelli Denise D Hou Xiaoling X Resnick Susan M SM Walston Jeremy D JD Anton Stephen S Basaria Shehzad S Diem Susan J SJ Wang Christina C Schrier Stanley L SL Ellenberg Susan S SS

JAMA internal medicine 20170401 4

<h4>Importance</h4>In one-third of older men with anemia, no recognized cause can be found.<h4>Objective</h4>To determine if testosterone treatment of men 65 years or older with unequivocally low testosterone levels and unexplained anemia would increase their hemoglobin concentration.<h4>Design, setting, and participants</h4>A double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with treatment allocation by minimization using 788 men 65 years or older who have average testosterone levels of less than 275 ng ...[more]

PMID: 28241237

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Project description:ImportanceAs men age, they experience decreased serum testosterone concentrations, decreased bone mineral density (BMD), and increased risk of fracture.ObjectiveTo determine whether testosterone treatment of older men with low testosterone increases volumetric BMD (vBMD) and estimated bone strength.Design, setting, and participantsPlacebo-controlled, double-blind trial with treatment allocation by minimization at 9 US academic medical centers of men 65 years or older with 2 testosterone concentrations averaging less than 275 ng/L participating in the Testosterone Trials from December 2011 to June 2014. The analysis was a modified intent-to-treat comparison of treatment groups by multivariable linear regression adjusted for balancing factors as required by minimization.InterventionsTestosterone gel, adjusted to maintain the testosterone level within the normal range for young men, or placebo gel for 1 year.Main outcomes and measuresSpine and hip vBMD was determined by quantitative computed tomography at baseline and 12 months. Bone strength was estimated by finite element analysis of quantitative computed tomography data. Areal BMD was assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and 12 months.ResultsThere were 211 participants (mean [SD] age, 72.3 [5.9] years; 86% white; mean [SD] body mass index, 31.2 [3.4]). Testosterone treatment was associated with significantly greater increases than placebo in mean spine trabecular vBMD (7.5%; 95% CI, 4.8% to 10.3% vs 0.8%; 95% CI, -1.9% to 3.4%; treatment effect, 6.8%; 95% CI, 4.8%-8.7%; P < .001), spine peripheral vBMD, hip trabecular and peripheral vBMD, and mean estimated strength of spine trabecular bone (10.8%; 95% CI, 7.4% to 14.3% vs 2.4%; 95% CI, -1.0% to 5.7%; treatment effect, 8.5%; 95% CI, 6.0%-10.9%; P < .001), spine peripheral bone, and hip trabecular and peripheral bone. The estimated strength increases were greater in trabecular than peripheral bone and greater in the spine than hip. Testosterone treatment increased spine areal BMD but less than vBMD.Conclusions and relevanceTestosterone treatment for 1 year of older men with low testosterone significantly increased vBMD and estimated bone strength, more in trabecular than peripheral bone and more in the spine than hip. A larger, longer trial could determine whether this treatment also reduces fracture risk.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00799617.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Fall accidents are a major cause of mortality among the elderly and the leading cause of traumatic brain injury. After a fall, many elderly people never completely recover and need help in coping with everyday life. Due to the increasing older population in the world, injuries, disabilities, and deaths caused by falls are a growing worldwide problem. Muscle weakness leads to greatly increased risk of falling, decreased quality of life, and decline in functional capacity. Muscle mass and muscle power decrease about 40% from age 20 to 80 years, and the level of testosterone decreases with age and leads to impaired muscle mass. In addition, 20% of men older than 60 years-and 50% older than 80 years-have low levels of testosterone. Treatments after a fall are significant financial burdens on health and social care, and it is important to find treatments that can enhance function in the elderly people. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study is to investigate whether testosterone and progressive resistance training alone or combined can improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls in older men. Additionally, we will examine whether such treatments can improve quality of life, functional capacity, including sexual function, and counteract depression. METHODS:This is a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in which frail older men with testosterone deficiency are treated with testosterone supplemental therapy and therapist-assisted progressive resistance training for 20 weeks, with the possibility to continue treatment for 1 year. Four study arms of 48 participants each are provided based on factorial assignment to testosterone supplemental therapy and progressive resistance training. The 4 groups are as follows: controls given placebo injections without physical exercise for 20 weeks, testosterone-alone group given testosterone injections without physical exercise for 20 weeks, training-alone group given placebo injections for 20 weeks combined with 16 weeks of progressive strength training, and combination group given testosterone injections for 20 weeks combined with 16 weeks of progressive strength training. Performance in the 30-second chair stand test to measure improvement of general strength, balance, and power in lower extremities is the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints comprising tests of cognition, muscle strength, and quality of life are applied before and after the training. RESULTS:Funding was provided in October 2016. Results are expected to be available in 2020. Sample size was calculated to 152 participants divided into 4 equal-sized groups. Due to age, difficulty in transport, and the time-consuming intervention, up to 25% dropouts are expected; thus, we aim to include at least 192 participants. CONCLUSIONS:This investigation will evaluate the efficacy of testosterone supplemental therapy alone or combined with progressive resistance training. Additionally, improvements in quality of life and cognition are explored. TRIAL REGISTRATION:Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02873559; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02873559 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6x0BhU2p3).

Dataset Information

Association of Testosterone Levels With Anemia in Older Men: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Importance

Objective

Design, setting, and participants

Interventions

Main outcomes and measures

Results

Conclusions and relevance

Trial registration

Publications

Association of Testosterone Levels With Anemia in Older Men: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Similar Datasets

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