Sexual functioning and satisfaction in nonresponders to testosterone gel: Potential effectiveness of retreatment in hypogonadal males

There is a slow but continuous decline in testosterone (T) levels with age, with a substantial percentage of males exhibiting T levels in the hypogonadal range. This age-dependent decline in circulating androgens is associated, in large part, with reduced sexual functioning and libido. The effectiveness of Testim® 1% (Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Norristown, Pennsylvania) topical T gel was evaluated in older hypogonadal males who failed to experience satisfactory symptom relief after treatment with AndroGel® 1% (Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marietta, Georgia). In this open-label study, consecutive subjects were assigned randomly to experimental treatment with Testim 1% (5 g) or to maintenance therapy (control group) with AndroGel 1% (5 g). Seventy-six experimental subjects and 75 control subjects were followed for 4 weeks to evaluate improvements in sexual functioning and satisfaction. Changes from baseline in the 5 domains of the Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory were compared between groups. The mean percentage improvement favored the experimental treatment in sexual drive (23% vs 16%, P < 0.3), erectile function (32% vs 8%, P < 0.03), ejaculatory function (11% vs 9%, P < 0.4), problem assessment (47% vs 12%, P < 0.01), and sexual satisfaction (62% vs 23%, P < 0.02). A greater percentage of subjects also reported satisfaction with the experimental treatment (55% vs 33%, P < 0.02), and these subjects were less likely to require upward dose titration at the final follow-up visit (53% vs 72%, P < 0.03). Consideration of Testim 1% gel in patients who have an inadequate response to prior T therapy is encouraged, although it is difficult to estimate the contribution of nonspecific study effects (eg, placebo) in this trial.