Biochemical reference intervals for sex hormones with a new AutoDelfia method in aged men
-
Seija Eskelinen
Abstract
Background: Our aim was to establish sex hormone reference intervals measured with a new AutoDelfia immunoassay method for aged men free of medication and/or conditions known to influence sex hormone levels.
Methods: The reference population consisted of 466 individuals between 64 and 97 years (mean 72 years) and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 26.9 kg/m2.
Results and conclusions: Because age correlated significantly with most sex hormones studied, we calculated reference intervals for three age groups (64–69, 70–74 and ≥75 years). In clinical practice, single ranges can be used for men aged 64 years or over for testosterone, estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with the AutoDelfia method. For free testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH), separate reference intervals should be used for men aged 64–74 years and those aged 75 years or over. For sex hormone-binding globulin, two separate reference intervals by age (64–69 and ≥70 years) are also needed for aged men. LH and FSH reference ranges should be judged with caution, because they may be too high due to cases of subclinical hypogonadism included in the reference population.
Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:249–53.
References
1. Boyce M, Baisley K, Clark E, Warrington S. Are published normal ranges of serum testosterone too high? Results of a cross-sectional survey of serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone in healthy men. BJU Int2004;94:881–5.10.1111/j.1464-410X.2004.05051.xSearch in Google Scholar PubMed
2. Matsumoto A, Bremner W. Serum testosterone assays – accuracy matters. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2004;89:520–4.10.1210/jc.2003-032175Search in Google Scholar PubMed
3. Amin S, Zhang Y, Sawin C, Evans S, Hannan M, Kiel D, et al. Association of hypogonadism and estradiol levels with bone mineral density in elderly men from the Framingham study. Ann Intern Med2000;133:951–63.10.7326/0003-4819-133-12-200012190-00010Search in Google Scholar PubMed
4. Gennari L, Merlotti D, Martini G, Gonnelli S, Franci B, Campagna S, et al. Longitudinal association between sex hormone levels, bone loss, and bone turnover in elderly men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2003;88:5327–33.10.1210/jc.2003-030736Search in Google Scholar PubMed
5. Barrett-Connor E, Mueller J, von Muhlen D, Laughlin G, Schneider D, Sartoris D. Low levels of estradiol are associated with vertebral fractures in older men, but not women: the Rancho Bernardo Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2000;85:219–23.10.1210/jc.85.1.219Search in Google Scholar
6. Allen N, Appleby P, Davey G, Key T. Lifestyle and nutritional determinants of bioavailable androgens and related hormones in British men. Cancer Causes Control2002;13:353–63.Search in Google Scholar
7. Svartberg J, Midtby M, Bonaa K, Sundsfjord J, Joakimsen R, Jorde R. The associations of age, lifestyle factors and chronic disease with testosterone in men: the Tromso Study. Eur J Endocrinol2003;149:145–52.10.1530/eje.0.1490145Search in Google Scholar PubMed
8. Wang C, Catlin D, Demers L, Starcevic B, Swerdloff R. Measurement of total serum testosterone in adult men: comparison of current laboratory methods versus liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2004;89:534–43.10.1210/jc.2003-031287Search in Google Scholar PubMed
9. The international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th revision. Geneva: WHO, 1997.Search in Google Scholar
10. Classification of medicines (ATC) and defined daily doses (DDD). Helsinki: National Agency for Medicines and Social Insurance Institution, 2000.Search in Google Scholar
11. Anderson D, Thorner M, Fisher R, Woodham J, Goble H, Besser G. Effects of hormonal treatment on plasma unbound androgen levels in hirsute women [abstract]. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh)1975;90:224.Search in Google Scholar
12. Kairisto V, Poola A. Software for illustrative presentation of basic clinical characteristics of laboratory tests – GraphROC for Windows. Scand J Clin Lab Invest1995;222(Suppl):43–60.10.3109/00365519509088450Search in Google Scholar PubMed
13. Feldman H, Longcope C, Derby C, Johannes C, Araujo A, Coviello A, et al. Age trends in the level of serum testosterone and other hormones in middle-aged men: longitudinal results from the Massachusetts male aging study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2002;87:589–98.10.1210/jcem.87.2.8201Search in Google Scholar PubMed
14. Harman S, Metter E, Tobin J, Pearson J, Blackman M. Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2001;86:724–31.10.1210/jcem.86.2.7219Search in Google Scholar PubMed
15. Griffin J. Disorders of the testes. In: Fauci A, Martin J, Braunwald E, Kaspar D, Isselbacher K, Hauser S, editors. Harrison's principles of internal medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998:2087–97.Search in Google Scholar
16. Taieb J, Mathian B, Millot F, Patricot M, Mathieu E, Queyrel N, et al. Testosterone measured by 10 immunoassays and by isotope-dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in sera from 116 men, women, and children. Clin Chem2003;49:1381–95.10.1373/49.8.1381Search in Google Scholar
17. Vermeulen A, Kaufman J, Giagulli V. Influence of some biological indexes on sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen levels in aging or obese males. J Clin Endocrinol Metab1996;81:1821–6.10.1210/jcem.81.5.8626841Search in Google Scholar
18. Lecomte P, Lecureuil N, Lecureuil M, Lemonnier Y, Mariotte N, Valat C, et al. Sex differences in the control of sex-hormone-binding globulin in the elderly: role of insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin. Eur J Endocrinol1998;139:178–83.10.1530/eje.0.1390178Search in Google Scholar
19. Leifke E, Goneroi V, Wichers C, Von Zur Muhlen A, Von Buren E, Brabant G. Age-related changes of serum sex hormones, insulin-like growth factor-1 and sex-hormone binding globulin levels in men: cross-sectional data from a healthy male cohort. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf)2000;53:689–95.10.1046/j.1365-2265.2000.01159.xSearch in Google Scholar
20. Muller M, den Tonkelaar I, Thijssen J, Grobbee D, van der Schouw Y. Endogenous sex hormones in men aged 40–80 years. Eur J Endocrinol2003;149:583–9.10.1530/eje.0.1490583Search in Google Scholar
21. Bjornerem A, Straume B, Midtby M, Fonnebo V, Sundsfjord J, Svartberg J, et al. Endogenous sex hormones in relation to age, sex, lifestyle factors, and chronic diseases in a general population: the Tromso Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab2004;89:6039–47.10.1210/jc.2004-0735Search in Google Scholar
22. Törmä A, Jaatinen T-A, Kaihola H-L, Koskinen P, Irjala K. A method for measurement of free testosterone in premenopausal women involving equilibrium dialysis, chromatography, and radioimmunoassay. Steroids1995;60:285–9.10.1016/0039-128X(94)00055-HSearch in Google Scholar
23. Vermeulen A, Verdonck L, Kaufman J. A critical evaluation of simple methods for the estimation of free testosterone in serum. J Clin Endocrinol Metab1999;84:3666–72.10.1210/jcem.84.10.6079Search in Google Scholar PubMed
24. Gray A, Feldman H, McKinlay J, Longcope C. Age, disease, and changing sex hormone levels in middle-aged men: results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab1991;73:1016–25.10.1210/jcem-73-5-1016Search in Google Scholar PubMed
©2007 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York
Articles in the same Issue
- Associations between folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine and pathologies related to aging: the need to consider complex nutrient-nutrient and gene-nutrient interactions and the functional and socio-economic determinants in population-based studies
- Hyperhomocysteinemia and cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women: the role of folate supplementation
- Association of vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine with functional and pathological characteristics of the elderly in a mountainous village in Sicily
- Association of thyroid dysfunction with vitamin B12, folate and plasma homocysteine levels in the elderly: a population-based study in Sicily
- Desmond (Des) Kenny MSc MCB FICI FRCPath Eur Clin Chem, 1941–2006
- Antibodies to citrullinated peptides: a significant step forward in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
- Patient hydration: a major source of laboratory uncertainty
- Determination of the hepatitis C virus subtype: comparison of sequencing and reverse hybridization assays
- Quantification of relative changes in specific mRNAs from frozen whole blood – methodological considerations and clinical implications
- HER-2 protein concentrations in breast cancer cells increase before immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis turn positive
- Distinct alleles of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and surfactant proteins A (SP-A) in patients with chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
- Novel molecular defect in the platelet ADP receptor P2Y12 of a patient with haemorrhagic diathesis
- Retrospective study of monoclonal gammopathies detected in the clinical laboratory of a Spanish healthcare district: 14-year series
- Renal impairment compromises the use of total homocysteine and methylmalonic acid but not total vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin in screening for vitamin B12 deficiency in the aged
- Diagnostic value of calculated testosterone indices in the assessment of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Amniotic fibronectin fragmentation and expression of its domains, sialyl and fucosyl glycotopes associated with pregnancy complicated by intrauterine infection
- Predicted influence of sample hematocrit on injected mass of internal standard in mass spectrometry assays utilizing simple protein precipitation for sample preparation
- Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors and related clinical markers in healthy young Japanese adults
- Cardiac natriuretic peptides after myocardial infarction: relationship with infarct size, left ventricular function and remodelling assessed by 99mTc-sestamibi gated-single photon emission tomography
- Plasma homocysteine cutoff values for venous thrombosis
- Lipid transfer protein activities in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance
- Heat shock protein 70-1 gene expression in pediatric heart surgery using blood cardioplegia
- Biochemical reference intervals for sex hormones with a new AutoDelfia method in aged men
- The Italian External Quality Control Programme for cystic fibrosis molecular diagnosis: 4 years of activity
- Standardization of ischemia-modified albumin testing: adjustment for serum albumin
- Is simultaneous measurement of anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies clinically useful in patients with thyroid dysfunction?
- To the Editor: In reply to Nakano et al. Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44(5):522–532
- To the Editor: Author reply; Nakano et al. Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44(5):522–532
- Accreditation of medical laboratories in the European Union
- Prevalence-dependent decision limits for the early detection of type 2 diabetes mellitus in venous blood, venous plasma and capillary blood during glucose challenge
Articles in the same Issue
- Associations between folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine and pathologies related to aging: the need to consider complex nutrient-nutrient and gene-nutrient interactions and the functional and socio-economic determinants in population-based studies
- Hyperhomocysteinemia and cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women: the role of folate supplementation
- Association of vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine with functional and pathological characteristics of the elderly in a mountainous village in Sicily
- Association of thyroid dysfunction with vitamin B12, folate and plasma homocysteine levels in the elderly: a population-based study in Sicily
- Desmond (Des) Kenny MSc MCB FICI FRCPath Eur Clin Chem, 1941–2006
- Antibodies to citrullinated peptides: a significant step forward in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
- Patient hydration: a major source of laboratory uncertainty
- Determination of the hepatitis C virus subtype: comparison of sequencing and reverse hybridization assays
- Quantification of relative changes in specific mRNAs from frozen whole blood – methodological considerations and clinical implications
- HER-2 protein concentrations in breast cancer cells increase before immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis turn positive
- Distinct alleles of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and surfactant proteins A (SP-A) in patients with chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
- Novel molecular defect in the platelet ADP receptor P2Y12 of a patient with haemorrhagic diathesis
- Retrospective study of monoclonal gammopathies detected in the clinical laboratory of a Spanish healthcare district: 14-year series
- Renal impairment compromises the use of total homocysteine and methylmalonic acid but not total vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin in screening for vitamin B12 deficiency in the aged
- Diagnostic value of calculated testosterone indices in the assessment of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Amniotic fibronectin fragmentation and expression of its domains, sialyl and fucosyl glycotopes associated with pregnancy complicated by intrauterine infection
- Predicted influence of sample hematocrit on injected mass of internal standard in mass spectrometry assays utilizing simple protein precipitation for sample preparation
- Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors and related clinical markers in healthy young Japanese adults
- Cardiac natriuretic peptides after myocardial infarction: relationship with infarct size, left ventricular function and remodelling assessed by 99mTc-sestamibi gated-single photon emission tomography
- Plasma homocysteine cutoff values for venous thrombosis
- Lipid transfer protein activities in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance
- Heat shock protein 70-1 gene expression in pediatric heart surgery using blood cardioplegia
- Biochemical reference intervals for sex hormones with a new AutoDelfia method in aged men
- The Italian External Quality Control Programme for cystic fibrosis molecular diagnosis: 4 years of activity
- Standardization of ischemia-modified albumin testing: adjustment for serum albumin
- Is simultaneous measurement of anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies clinically useful in patients with thyroid dysfunction?
- To the Editor: In reply to Nakano et al. Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44(5):522–532
- To the Editor: Author reply; Nakano et al. Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44(5):522–532
- Accreditation of medical laboratories in the European Union
- Prevalence-dependent decision limits for the early detection of type 2 diabetes mellitus in venous blood, venous plasma and capillary blood during glucose challenge