Serum testosterone concentrations in male patients with end-stage kidney disease treated with haemodialysis

Testosterone deficiency is frequently found in male patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may participate in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, sarcopaenia, anaemia, impotence, infertility, and other comorbidities observed in these patients. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the frequency of testosterone deficiency in male patients with CKD on maintenance haemodialysis (HD).

In 79 male HD patients, serum total (TT), free (FT) testosterone, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) serum concentrations were assessed before an HD procedure. Patients were divided into three subgroups based on age categories: 19-39 years (18 patients), 40-59 years (34 patients), and ≥ 60 years (27 patients). TT insufficiency and deficiency were diagnosed when the serum TT concentration was below 4.0 ng/mL and 2.9 ng/mL, respectively. FT deficiency was diagnosed in patients with serum FT concentration below 8.9, 6.6, and 4.9 pg/mL in the abovementioned age subgroups, respectively.

In the abovementioned age subgroups the serum TT concentration was 5.9 (4.6-7.1), 4.8 (3.9-5.4), and 4.6 (3.9-5.3) ng/mL, respectively. The serum FT concentration was 7.9 (5.2-10.1), 6.1 (5.1-7.2), and 6.0 (5.0-7.1) pg/mL, respectively. In the whole group TT insufficiency was found in 40%, TT deficiency in 15% of patients, and FT deficiency in 50% of patients. Significant negative correlations were found between both serum TT and FT concentrations and age (r = -0.23, p = 0.05 and r = -0.27, p = 0.02, respectively). Additionally, negative correlations were found between both serum TT and FT and IL-6 concentrations (r = -0.43, p < 0.05 and r = -0.29, p < 0.05), respectively.

1. Testosterone deficiency is common in male patients with chronic kidney disease treated with HD. 2. In HD patients the serum testosterone concentration decreases with age. 3. Chronic inflammation may participate in the pathogenesis of testosterone deficiency in haemodialysis patients.