Endocrine Abstracts

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

Materials and method: (A) Patients: at onset 210 men with hypogonadism (median age: 61.5 years). (B) Distribution: by decade; n=4, 12, 21, 54, 59, 43, 16, and 1. (C) TUD (NebidoR-Bayer-Schering) 1000 mg was injected one per 3 months i.m. (D) Prostate volume (PV) appreciated 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 months (T2), 6 months (T3), 1 year (T4), 2 years (T5), 3 years (T6), 4 years (T7), 5 years (T8, n=28), 6 years (T9, n=12), and 7 years (T10, n=6). (F) Maximum increment from T0 was noted Δ M %. Average increment was noted A %. (G) Statistical analysis: Student’ t-test.

Results: i) All average prostatic volume for decade in figure. Maximum increment (Δ M %) per decade (45.95; 20; 40.35; 42.5; 45.45; 64.41; and 39.56), including the moment (Δ M % at) and average increment (Δ A %) (Table). (II) PV at T0 increases with age, from minimum 15.38 (19–29 years) to maximum 47.41 (80–89 years), P=0.0007. (III) Considering all observations (some at 5/6/7 years), TUD did not increase PV significantly (in fact the average of increment in all patients was negative=−12.54%). Δ M % per decade: 20. (IV) Inside a specific decade no significant increase in PV was registered: all P>0.05; exception: 80–89 decade, P=0.002, at 3–5 years. (V) In some patients, especially from 50 to 79 years, TUD could decrease slightly prostatic volume.

Conclusions: Considering the risk for prostate (in elderly), testosterone undecanoate 1000 mg depot injectable is a safe treatment, even after 3–7 years of administration. Precautions should be accorded to men over 80 years old, after the 3rd year administration.