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Diabetes mellitus is associated with subnormal serum levels of free testosterone in men
Author(s) -
Rhoden Ernani L.,
Ribeiro Eduardo P.,
Teloken Claudio,
Souto Carlos A.V.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2005.05728.x
Subject(s) - medicine , body mass index , endocrinology , confidence interval , obesity , diabetes mellitus , waist–hip ratio , odds ratio , waist , testosterone (patch) , free testosterone , androgen , sex hormone binding globulin , hormone
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and serum levels of free (FT) and total (TT) testosterone. PATIENTS AND METHODS A cross‐sectional study was carried out including 746 men, of whom 116 (15.6%) were diabetics. Both groups, diabetic and nondiabetic, were paired according to age. Body mass index (BMI) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) were calculated, and a stratification analysis correlating DM and elevated BMI (>25 kg/m 2 ) and WHR (>1) with the presence of subnormal FT and TT levels was performed. RESULTS FT and TT serum levels were subnormal in 46% and 34% of diabetics, respectively, and in 24% and 23% of nondiabetics. Subnormal FT levels were strongly correlated with DM (odds ratio (OR) 2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8–4.1) but not with elevated BMI (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0–2.0). Subnormal TT levels were more strongly associated with elevated BMI and WHR (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7–3.9 and 2.0; 1.4–2.9) than with DM (1.7; 1.1–2.6 and 2.0; 1.3–3.2). CONCLUSION These data strongly suggest that DM is associated with subnormal FT levels, and that TT levels are influenced more by obesity and central adiposity.