The prevalence and predictors of androgen deficiency in Taiwanese men with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of androgen deficiency (AD) in Taiwanese men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: A recent hospital-based series of Western populations showed that 30%-50% of men with T2DM have low testosterone, and AD links to DM and obesity bidirectionally. However, data of AD from other ethnicities with character of less obesity are rarely reported. AD was defined as having a total testosterone level less than 300 ng/dL. The clinical variables and diabetes-associated complications of the risk of AD were evaluated.

Results: Of 766 consecutive subjects (mean age 62.2 years, mean body mass index [BMI] 26.0) attending out-patient diabetic clinics, 32.5% have AD. The AD group was older, had higher BMI, waist circumference, higher proportion of metabolic syndrome and stroke, higher levels of triglyceride, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), uric acid, and lower levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) than the normal testosterone group. After age adjustment, AD was positively associated with metabolic syndrome (odds ratio [OR] = 2.142), serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR = 1.120), uric acid (OR = 1.118), BMI (OR = 1.083), waist circumference (OR = 1.038), triglyceride (OR = 1.028), and inversely associated with serum low-density lipoprotein (OR = 0.931) and high-density lipoprotein (OR = 0.826) in logistic regression analysis. There were no significant differences in retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, or coronary artery disease between patients with or without AD.

Conclusion: One third of Taiwanese men with T2DM have AD. The major predictors of AD are linked to obesity, which is a potentially modifiable risk factor, and may represent an important avenue for intervention.