RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Predicting low testosterone in aging men: a systematic review JF Canadian Medical Association Journal JO CMAJ FD Canadian Medical Association SP E321 OP E330 DO 10.1503/cmaj.150262 VO 188 IS 13 A1 Adam C. Millar A1 Adrian N.C. Lau A1 George Tomlinson A1 Alan Kraguljac A1 David L. Simel A1 Allan S. Detsky A1 Lorraine L. Lipscombe YR 2016 UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/188/13/E321.abstract AB Background: Physicians diagnose and treat suspected hypogonadism in older men by extrapolating from the defined clinical entity of hypogonadism found in younger men. We conducted a systematic review to estimate the accuracy of clinical symptoms and signs for predicting low testosterone among aging men.Methods: We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases (January 1966 to July 2014) for studies that compared clinical features with a measurement of serum testosterone in men. Three of the authors independently reviewed articles for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data.Results: Among 6053 articles identified, 40 met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of low testosterone ranged between 2% and 77%. Threshold testosterone levels used for reference standards also varied substantially. The summary likelihood ratio associated with decreased libido was 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–1.9), and the likelihood ratio for absence of this finding was 0.72 (95% CI 0.58–0.85). The likelihood ratio associated with the presence of erectile dysfunction was 1.5 (95% CI 1.3–1.8) and with absence of erectile dysfunction was 0.83 (95% CI 0.76–0.91). Of the multiple-item instruments, the ANDROTEST showed both the most favourable positive likelihood ratio (range 1.9–2.2) and the most favourable negative likelihood ratio (range 0.37–0.49).Interpretation: We found weak correlation between signs, symptoms and testosterone levels, uncertainty about what threshold testosterone levels should be considered low for aging men and wide variation in estimated prevalence of the condition. It is therefore difficult to extrapolate the method of diagnosing pathologic hypogonadism in younger men to clinical decisions regarding age-related testosterone decline in aging men.