Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Re-analyzing the effect of injectable testosterone undecanoat depot (TUD) in hypogonadic patients.

Materials & methods: (A) Patients: at onset 191 men with hypogonadism (median age: 64 years). (B) Distribution: by decade. (C) TUD (Nebido^R-Bayer-Schering) 1000 mg was injected one per 3 months i.m. (D) Prostate volume (PV) by per-abdominal ultrasound: 3.5 MHz probe, elliptical volume (cm³), Aloka 550. (E). Time of analysis: before starting testosterone (T0), after ½ month (T1), 3 (T2), 6 months (T3), 1 (T4), 2 (T5), 3 (T6), 4 (T7), 5 (T8), 6 years (T9). (F). Maximum increment percent from T0 was noted Δ M %. Average increment was noted Δ A %. G. Statistical analysis: Student’s t-test.

Results: i) All average prostatic volume for decade will be presented. ii) PV at T0 increases with age, from 17.33 (19–29 years) to 47.41 (80–89 years), P=0.0007. iii) Inside a specific decade no significant increased in PV was registered (all P>0.05), excepted 80–89 decade (at 3 and 4 years: P< 0.002). iv) In some patients, especially from 50 to 79 years, TUD could decrease slightly prostatic volume. v) When withdrawing the treatment, PV increased. vi) Five patients 78–89 years died after 1 year after withdrawing the treatment.

Conclusions: Considering the risk for prostate (in elderly), testosterone undecanoat 1000 mg depot injectable is a safe treatment, even after 3–6 years of administration. Precautions should be accorded to men over 80 years old, after the third administration. Further observation needed.