Endocrine Abstracts

All men attending diabetes clinics should have serum testosterone measure as it correlates with HDL and sexual dysfunction

A Weller & L Seal

Thomas Addison Unit St Georges Hospital Tooting UK.

Method: Male diabetic patients attending erectile dysfunction clinic) and general diabetes clinic were studied . Plasma androgen levels were obtained and erectile function assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Results:

Low testosterone showed correlated with increasing age and BMI.Low testosterone correlated with HDL.

HbA1c showed positive correlation with intercourse satisfaction.

We did not find a significant difference in plasma levels of T or T/SHBG between men attending the EDC compared with those attending normal diabetes clinic. Interestingly the mean value of testosterone was higher for the men attending the EDC.

Similarly, a significant difference was not found in erectile function scores between those that had clinical evidence of peripheral neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease and those that did not.

Conclusions: Low plasma testosterone is associated with low HDL a known risk factors for cardiovascular disease within men attending the EDC and normal diabetes clinic. Measurement of testosterone and T/SHBG in routine diabetes care may help to identify these risk factors and erectile dysfunction, both of which cause significant morbidity.

Endocrine Abstracts (2004) 8 DP10