The Prevalence and the Risk Factors of Testosterone Deficiency in Newly Diagnosed and Previously Known Type 2 Diabetic Men

IntroductionWhile the epidemiology of testosterone deficiency has been well described in men with previously known type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it was less reported in those with untreated, newly diagnosed T2DM.AimThe aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and the risk factors of testosterone deficiency of men with newly diagnosed T2DM.MethodsThe cross-sectional study included 105 men (mean age: 61.2 ± 6.8 years) with previously known T2DM and another 81 (57.8 ± 8.8 years) with newly diagnosed T2DM. All received health checkup and sex hormone measurement at our institute in 2009.Main Outcome MeasuresWe calculated the prevalence and explored the risk factors of low total (<300 ng/dL) and free (<6 ng/dL) testosterone in men with newly diagnosed and previously known T2DM.ResultsMen with previously known T2DM were older and had higher diastolic pressure and greater fasting glucose. There was no significant difference in total (358.0 [155.0] ng/dL vs. 363.0 [154.0] ng/dL, P = 0.68) and free (7.2 [2.5] ng/dL vs. 7.4 [2.4] ng/dL, P = 0.84) testosterone and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) (27.3 [22.3] nmol/L vs. 28.7 [14.9] nmol/L, P = 0.46). The prevalence of low total and free testosterone was 28.4% and 21.0%, respectively, in men with newly diagnosed T2DM, and was 26.7% and 19.0% in those with previously known T2DM. In men with previously known T2DM, better glycemic control (HbA1c <7%) was associated with a higher level of total testosterone and a lower risk of low total testosterone. Men with newly diagnosed and previously known T2DM shared similar risk factors of low total testosterone, including high HbA1c (≥7%), low SHBG (<20 nmol/L), obesity, hyperuricemia, hypertriglycemia, and metabolic syndrome. Elevated prostate-specific antigen was a protective factor of low total testosterone. However, none of these factors was associated with low free testosterone.ConclusionsThe prevalence and the risk factors of testosterone deficiency are similar between newly diagnosed and previously known type 2 diabetic men. Ho C-H, Jaw F-S, Wu C-C, Chen K-C, Wang C-Y, Hsieh J-T, Yu H-J, and Liu S-P. The prevalence and the risk factors of testosterone deficiency in newly diagnosed and previously known type 2 diabetic men. J Sex Med 2015;12:389–397.