An observational study in Testosterone Deficiency, sponsored by Men's Health Boston. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to male participants aged 20 Years to 90 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-04-19.
Sponsored by Men's Health Boston · Observational
One promising but understudied area in the field of testosterone (T) therapy is its effect on metabolism and the development of type II diabetes. Metabolomics is a powerful research tool that can detect very early signs of metabolic derangement that may lead to metabolic disease. In this observational study, investigators aim to apply metabolomics in order to better understand how T therapy influences metabolism. In a clinical population of outpatient men with T deficiency investigators will perform comprehensive clinical evaluations and also obtain blood for metabolomics. This will be done once prior to T therapy and again after 4-6 months of T therapy. Investigators hypothesize that they can detect metabolic derangements in men with T deficiency and that these derangements will improve with T therapy.
One promising but understudied area in the field of T therapy is its effect on insulin resistance (IR) and the development of type II diabetes and cardiometabolic disease. Although several clinical studies suggest T therapy improves metabolic parameters and may prevent disease progression, a mechanism for understanding this process is lacking. Investigators propose to use metabolomics to shed light on how metabolic function changes with T therapy.
Metabolomics is an established investigative tool that measures hundreds of unique chemical markers (metabolites) involved in normal and diseased cellular processes from a blood sample. Previous studies using the Metabolite Profiling Platform at the Broad Institute of Harvard/Massachusetts Institute of Technology applied tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics to large, population-based cohorts. These studies identified and validated highly sensitive signatures of IR that successfully predicted occult risk for type II diabetes in clinically normal men. Investigators now plan to apply metabolomics to a clinical population in order to obtain a new perspective on the biochemical metabolic changes that occur based on a man's testosterone status. Investigators plan to study men with symptomatic testosterone deficiency identified at Men's Health Boston (MHB), an outpatient men's health clinic.
In a pilot study involving 32 blood samples, investigators have already identified a specific metabolomic signature in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Based on these preliminary results and other recent studies, investigators hypothesize that they can detect metabolic derangements in men with T deficiency and that these derangements will respond to changes in T levels. Investigators will address this hypothesis though the following specific aims:
Aim 1: To characterize metabolite profiles and evaluate metabolic dysfunction in T deficient men
To accomplish this aim investigators will study T deficient men presenting to MHB. In addition to metabolite profiling, these men will undergo a comprehensive clinical evaluation at MHB including:
Aim 2: To determine how T therapy influences metabolite profiles and IR
Metabolite profiles will be obtained and clinical evaluation performed (described above under Aim1) at baseline and again after 6 months of therapy. Investigators will study interactions between changes in sexual function and serum T, IR, body composition and metabolite profiles (with particular attention to established metabolite markers of IR).
352 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypogonadism; 44 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 60 is below the median of 96 across 68 observational studies indexed under Hypogonadism.
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Testosterone deficient men who intend to undergo testosterone therapy at an outpatient men's health clinic.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The study population is a cohort of testosterone deficient men who are planning on undergoing testosterone therapy at an outpatient men's health clinic.
Drug: Testosterone Therapy
In this observational study we will be enrolling testosterone deficient men who intend to undergo testosterone therapy.
Metabolomics
Blood samples will be sent to the Metabolite Profiling Platform at the Broad Institute of Harvard/Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Metabolomics measures hundreds of unique chemical markers (metabolites) involved in normal and diseased cellular processes from a blood sample. These metabolites include branched chain and aromatic amino acids, ketoacids, and triacylglycerides.
Time frame: After 4-6 mo of therapy
Metabolomics
Blood samples will be sent to the Metabolite Profiling Platform at the Broad Institute of Harvard/Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Metabolomics measures hundreds of unique chemical markers (metabolites) involved in normal and diseased cellular processes from a blood sample. These metabolites include branched chain and aromatic amino acids, ketoacids, and triacylglycerides.
Time frame: Baseline
Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency
Symptoms of T deficiency will be assessed using the clinical history and using validated and other questionnaires.
Time frame: After 4-6mo of T therapy
Body Composition
Body composition, including visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, will be determined using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Time frame: After 4-6mo of T therapy
Fasting insulin and glucose
Insulin and glucose will be determined from a fasting blood sample.
Time frame: After 4-6mo of T therapy
Lipid Profile
A clinical lipid profile including LDL, HDL, and total triglycerides will be obtained from a fasting blood sample.
Time frame: After 4-6mo of T therapy
Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency
Symptoms of T deficiency will be assessed using the clinical history and using validated and other questionnaires.
Time frame: Baseline
Body Composition
Body composition, including visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, will be determined using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Time frame: Baseline
Fasting insulin and glucose
Insulin and glucose will be determined from a fasting blood sample.
Time frame: Baseline
Lipid Profile
A clinical lipid profile including LDL, HDL, and total triglycerides will be obtained from a fasting blood sample.
Time frame: Baseline
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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