Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of hypogonadism (H) in males with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its relation with erectile dysfunction (ED) and obesity.

Methods: We studied 107 diabetic males who came successively to an Endocrine consultation. The presence of H was determined by total testosterone (T) with an immunofluerescence method and free testosterone (fT) calculated with Vermeulen’s equation, defining H if T<2 ng/ml or fT<250 pmol/l, with LH, FSH and prolactine in the normal range. We studied ED by means of the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) (questions 1 to 5 and 15 that determine ED). We excluded patients taking drugs that cause ED and those diagnosed of severe autonomic neuropathy. The anthropometic parameters analyzed were weight, height, waist perimeter and the calculated body mass index (BMI).

Results: We included 107 patients, aged 55.1±7.8 years (range 39–70) with an average of duration of T2D of 8.2±8.1 years (range 1–32). The frequency of H was 22.4%. The average of LH was 3.7±1.7 mU/ml (range 1.1–9.5), FSH 5.1±2.3 mU/ml (range 1.2–13.3) and prolactine 8.5±2.9 ng/ml (range 2.9–16.5). ED was present in 66.7% of hypogonadal males and 66.7% of patients not presenting H. Patients with H had more weight (93.2±11.9 vs 84.8±13.8 kg, P=0.016), more BMI (31.8±3.8 vs 29.6±3.8 kg/m², P=0.025) and more waist perimeter (111.1±9.2 vs 104.7±10.7 cm, P=0.028), compared to patients without H. The table below show the means of T and fT according to BMI:

Conclusions: The frequency of H is 22.4%. ED appears in the same proportion in patients with and without H. Hypogonadal patients are more obese and there is an inverse relation between BMI and T and fT.