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In women, no significant variances of calculated free testosterone (cFT) are observed when a fixed value of albumin (Alb: 4.3 g/dL) is used instead of measured albumin values

  • Dinamarie Garcia-Banigan EMAIL logo , Andre Guay , Abdul Traish , Gheorghe Doros and John Gawoski
Published/Copyright: December 2, 2014
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Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation
From the journal Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation Volume 20 Issue 3

Abstract

Background: Calculated free testosterone (cFT) is determined from the values of total testosterone (TT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and albumin (Alb) using mathematical formulae. We evaluated any potential cFT variance when determined with fixed Alb (4.3 g/dL) compared to measured Alb, and the point at which low SHBG and Alb combinations produced significant cFT variance.

Materials: We analyzed 2050 data points in 1222 women. cFT values with fixed vs. the actual measured Alb values were evaluated and contrasted. cFT levels were determined theoretically for all possible combinations of TT, SHBG, and Alb.

Methods: Agreement between the two measures was assessed with Lin’s concordance coefficient. Statistical analyses were performed using R software version 2.12.1.

Results: Mean Alb was 4.05±0.30 g/dL. Mean SHBG 73.0±53.3 nmol/L. A fixed Alb of 4.3 g/dL produced no significant variance for most evaluations of cFT. The accuracy decreased with Alb ≤3.5 g/dL in combination with SHBG ≤30 nmol/L and exists in 1.0% of the samples.

Conclusions: A fixed Alb of 4.3 g/dL is acceptable for most clinical evaluations. If Alb is ≤3.5 g/dL, along with SHBG ≤30 nmol/L, the variance increases and a free testosterone (FT) measurement by equilibrium dialysis is warranted for better accuracy.

Keywords: calculated free testosterone; female androgen deficiency; laboratory assay methods; testosterone
Corresponding author: Dinamarie Garcia-Banigan, MD, MPH, Department of Endocrinology, Lahey Medical Center, One Essex Center Drive, Peabody, MA 10960 USA, Phone: +1-978-538-4674, Fax: +1-978-538-4712, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

This research was conducted without industry support, but rather with a generous grant from the Ellithorpe family.

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Received: 2014-9-5
Accepted: 2014-11-3
Published Online: 2014-12-2
Published in Print: 2014-12-1

©2014 by De Gruyter

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Letter to the Editor
  3. Acute mental feelings and professional stress are controlling health. Mechanism and role of hormones and “solvated electrons” (eaq–)
  4. Review Article
  5. 5α-Reductase inhibitors alter steroid metabolism and may contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and vascular disease: a medical hypothesis
  6. Original Articles
  7. The potent inhibition of human cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A1 by 17α-ethinylestradiol is due to interactions with isoleucine 89 on loop 1
  8. In women, no significant variances of calculated free testosterone (cFT) are observed when a fixed value of albumin (Alb: 4.3 g/dL) is used instead of measured albumin values
  9. Regulation of flavin-containing mono-oxygenase (Fmo3) gene expression by steroids in mice and humans
https://doi.org/10.1515/hmbci-2014-0027
Keywords for this article
calculated free testosterone; female androgen deficiency; laboratory assay methods; testosterone

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Letter to the Editor
  3. Acute mental feelings and professional stress are controlling health. Mechanism and role of hormones and “solvated electrons” (eaq–)
  4. Review Article
  5. 5α-Reductase inhibitors alter steroid metabolism and may contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and vascular disease: a medical hypothesis
  6. Original Articles
  7. The potent inhibition of human cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A1 by 17α-ethinylestradiol is due to interactions with isoleucine 89 on loop 1
  8. In women, no significant variances of calculated free testosterone (cFT) are observed when a fixed value of albumin (Alb: 4.3 g/dL) is used instead of measured albumin values
  9. Regulation of flavin-containing mono-oxygenase (Fmo3) gene expression by steroids in mice and humans
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