Daniela Esposito, Åsa Tivesten, Catharina Olivius, Oskar Ragnarsson, Gudmundur Johannsson
{"title":"Androgen deficiency in hypopituitary women: its consequences and management.","authors":"Daniela Esposito, Åsa Tivesten, Catharina Olivius, Oskar Ragnarsson, Gudmundur Johannsson","doi":"10.1007/s11154-024-09873-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women with hypopituitarism have various degrees of androgen deficiency, which is marked among those with combined hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and secondary adrenal insufficiency. The consequences of androgen deficiency and the effects of androgen replacement therapy have not been fully elucidated. While an impact of androgen deficiency on outcomes such as bone mineral density, quality of life, and sexual function is plausible, the available evidence is limited. There is currently no consensus on the definition of androgen deficiency in women and it is still controversial whether androgen substitution should be used in women with hypopituitarism and coexisting androgen deficiency. Some studies suggest beneficial clinical effects of androgen replacement but data on long-term benefits and risk are not available. Transdermal testosterone replacement therapy in hypopituitary women has shown some positive effects on bone metabolism and body composition. Studies of treatment with oral dehydroepiandrosterone have yielded mixed results, with some studies suggesting improvements in quality of life and sexual function. Further research is required to elucidate the impact of androgen deficiency and its replacement treatment on long-term outcomes in women with hypopituitarism. The lack of transdermal androgens for replacement in this patient population and limited outcome data limit its use. A cautious and personalized treatment approach in the clinical management of androgen deficiency in women with hypopituitarism is recommended while awaiting more efficacy and safety data.</p>","PeriodicalId":21106,"journal":{"name":"Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11162366/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-024-09873-1","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/1/19 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Women with hypopituitarism have various degrees of androgen deficiency, which is marked among those with combined hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and secondary adrenal insufficiency. The consequences of androgen deficiency and the effects of androgen replacement therapy have not been fully elucidated. While an impact of androgen deficiency on outcomes such as bone mineral density, quality of life, and sexual function is plausible, the available evidence is limited. There is currently no consensus on the definition of androgen deficiency in women and it is still controversial whether androgen substitution should be used in women with hypopituitarism and coexisting androgen deficiency. Some studies suggest beneficial clinical effects of androgen replacement but data on long-term benefits and risk are not available. Transdermal testosterone replacement therapy in hypopituitary women has shown some positive effects on bone metabolism and body composition. Studies of treatment with oral dehydroepiandrosterone have yielded mixed results, with some studies suggesting improvements in quality of life and sexual function. Further research is required to elucidate the impact of androgen deficiency and its replacement treatment on long-term outcomes in women with hypopituitarism. The lack of transdermal androgens for replacement in this patient population and limited outcome data limit its use. A cautious and personalized treatment approach in the clinical management of androgen deficiency in women with hypopituitarism is recommended while awaiting more efficacy and safety data.
期刊介绍:
Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders is an international journal dedicated to the field of endocrinology and metabolism. It aims to provide the latest advancements in this rapidly advancing field to students, clinicians, and researchers. Unlike other journals, each quarterly issue of this review journal focuses on a specific topic and features ten to twelve articles written by world leaders in the field. These articles provide brief overviews of the latest developments, offering insights into both the basic aspects of the disease and its clinical implications. This format allows individuals in all areas of the field, including students, academic clinicians, and practicing clinicians, to understand the disease process and apply their knowledge to their specific areas of interest. The journal also includes selected readings and other essential references to encourage further in-depth exploration of specific topics.