Clinical and biochemical correlates of male hypogonadism in type 2 diabetes

The origin of hypogonadism, a condition including both symptoms and biochemical criteria of androgen deficiency, in type 2 diabetes is poorly known. In a cross-sectional study of 267 unselected patients, we analyzed the potential correlation of several clinical and biochemical variables as well as chronic micro- and macrovascular diabetic complications with hypogonadism. Hypogonadism was present in 46 patients (17.2%) using a cutoff of total testosterone 10.4 nmol/L and in 31 (11.6%) with a cutoff of 8 nmol/L. Among these patients, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was the most prevalent form (82.6%). Compared to eugonadal subjects, hypogonadal men had significantly lower glomerular filtration rate (67.1 ± 23.4 vs. 78.4 ± 24.6 mL/min/1.73 m² , p = 0.005) and higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (43.5% vs. 20.4%, p = 0.002), abnormal liver function tests (26.7% vs. 12%, p = 0.019), and psychiatric treatment (23.9% vs. 10.4%, p = 0.025). Total testosterone levels correlated inversely with age (R = -0.164, p = 0.007), fasting blood glucose (R = -0.127, p = 0.037), and triglycerides (R = -0.134, p = 0.029) and directly with glomerular filtration rate (R = 0.148, p = 0.015). Calculated free testosterone and bioavailable testosterone correlated directly with hemoglobin (R = 0.171, p = 0.015 and R = 0.234, p = 0.001, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for relevant confounding variables, showed that age >60 years (OR = 3.58, CI 95% = 1.48-8.69, p = 0.005), body mass index >27 kg/m² (OR = 2.85, CI 95% = 1.14-7.11, p = 0.025), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 2.16, CI 95% = 1.05-4.41, p = 0.035), glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m² (OR = 2.51, CI 95% = 1.19-5.29, p = 0.015), and abnormal liver function tests (OR = 3.57, CI 95% = 1.48-8.60, p = 0.005) were independently associated with male hypogonadism. Although older age, body mass index, and hypertriglyceridemia have been previously related to hypogonadism, our results describe that chronic kidney disease and abnormal liver function tests are independently correlated with hypogonadism in type 2 diabetic men.