TY - JOUR T1 - Determinants of serum total and free testosterone levels in women over the age of 65 years. JF - J Clin Endocrinol Metab Y1 - 2007 A1 - Cappola, Anne R A1 - Ratcliffe, Sarah J A1 - Bhasin, Shalender A1 - Blackman, Marc R A1 - Cauley, Jane A1 - Robbins, John A1 - Zmuda, Joseph M A1 - Harris, Tamara A1 - Fried, Linda P KW - Age Distribution KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Aging KW - Body Mass Index KW - Cross-Sectional Studies KW - Estrogen Replacement Therapy KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Hypogonadism KW - Multivariate Analysis KW - Nonlinear Dynamics KW - Obesity KW - Ovariectomy KW - Ovary KW - Postmenopause KW - Predictive Value of Tests KW - Prevalence KW - Risk Factors KW - Testosterone AB -

CONTEXT: Little is known about testosterone (T) levels and their determinants in women of late postmenopausal age.

OBJECTIVE: We describe levels of total and free T and selected factors that influence these levels in a random sample of older women.

DESIGN: Levels of serum total T and free T by microdialysis were measured using ultrasensitive assays in 347 community-dwelling women aged 65-98 yr enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to define factors associated with total and free T levels.

RESULTS: In adjusted models: 1) total T levels declined with age until 80, whereas free T levels did not vary by age; 2) women with bilateral oophorectomy had 23% lower total T and 16% lower free T levels than those with at least one intact ovary; 3) oral estrogen users had total and free T levels that were 47% lower than never users; 4) obese women had 47% higher total T and 20% higher free T levels, and overweight women had 24% higher total T and 14% higher free T levels, than normal weight women; and 5) free T levels were 51% higher in black women. Corticosteroid users had 75% lower total T and 43% lower free T levels than nonusers.

CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral oophorectomy, estrogen use, corticosteroid use, and low body mass index are independent risk factors for lower T levels in women aged 65 yr and over. Although highly prevalent in women of this age, the physiological significance of low T levels in late postmenopausal women requires further investigation.

VL - 92 IS - 2 U1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17090636?dopt=Abstract ER -