Testosterone Trials’ cardiac, cognitive results disappoint
FROM JAMA AND JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE
Cognitive function
The fourth study looked at mean change in cognitive function from baseline in 493 men with a serum testosterone level less than 275 ng/dL, impaired sexual function, physical function, or vitality, and who met the criteria for age-associated memory impairment. Half the participants were assigned to 12 months of testosterone gel, and half were assigned to placebo gel (JAMA. 2017 Feb 21;317[7]:717-27).
Researchers found no significant differences between the two groups from baseline to 6 months and 12 months in mean change in delayed paragraph recall score, visual memory, executive function, or spatial ability.
“The lack of association between testosterone treatment and cognition was apparent across all cognitive domains assessed among men with [age-associated memory impairment], in spite of an increase in circulating total and free testosterone concentrations in the testosterone group to levels typical of men aged 19-40 years,” wrote Susan M. Resnick, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging, and her coauthors.
The Testosterone Trials were supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and AbbVie, which also provided the AndroGel, and placebo gel. Authors from the trials declared a range of funding, consultancies, and other support from the pharmaceutical industry, including AbbVie. One author declared a pending patent for a free testosterone calculator.
