scholarly journals Optimal injection interval for testosterone undecanoate treatment of hypogonadal and transgender men

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nandini Shankara Narayana ◽  
Lam P Ly ◽  
Veena Jayadev ◽  
Carolyn Fennell ◽  
Sasha Savkovic ◽  
...  

Objective: To define the optimized inter-injection interval of injectable testosterone undecanoate (TU) treatment for hypogonadal and transmen based on individual dose titration in routine clinical practice. Design and Methods: Prolective observational study of consecutive TU injections in men undergoing testosterone replacement therapy for pathological hypogonadism or masculinization of female-to-male transgender (transmen) subject to individual dosing titration to achieve a stable replacement regimen. Results: From 2006 to 2019, 6899 injections were given to 325 consecutive patients. After excluding the 6-week loading dose, 6300 injections were given to 297 patients who had at least three and a median of 14 injections. The optimal injection interval (mean of last three injection intervals), had a median of 12.0 weeks (interquartile range 10.4–12.7 weeks). The interval was significantly influenced by age and body size (body surface area, BSA) but not by diagnosis or trough serum LH, FSH and SHBG. Longer (≥14 weeks; 68/297, 23%), but not shorter (≤10 weeks; 22/297, 7.4%), intervals were weakly correlated with age but not diagnosis or other covariables. Low blood hemoglobin increased with trough serum testosterone to reach plateau once testosterone was about 10 nmol/L or higher. Conclusion: Optimal intervals between TU injection after individual titration resulted in the approved 12-week interval in 70% of patients with only minor influence for clinical application of age and body size (BSA) and not of trough serum LH, FSH and SHBG. Individually optimised inter-injection interval did not differ between men with primary or secondary hypogonadism or transmen.

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 496-505
Author(s):  
David Muram ◽  
Anna Kaltenboeck ◽  
Natalie Boytsov ◽  
Eleanor Hayes-Larson ◽  
Jasmina Ivanova ◽  
...  

Patterns of care following topical testosterone agent (TTA) initiation are poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize care following TTA initiation and compare results between patients with and without a serum testosterone (T) assay within 30 days before and including TTA initiation. Adult men ( N = 4,146) initiating TTAs from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, were identified from a commercially insured database. Patients were included if they initiated at recommended starting dose (RSD) and had ≥12 and ≥6 months of continuous eligibility preinitiation (baseline) and postinitiation (study period), respectively. Patients were stratified by preinitiation T assay. Maintenance dose attainment month was determined using unadjusted generalized estimating equations regression to compare dose relative to RSD month by month. Outcomes included maintenance dose attainment month, time to stopping of index TTA refills or a claim for nonindex testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and proportion of patients with study period T assay or diagnosis of hypogonadism (HG) or another low testosterone condition, and were compared using chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Maintenance dose was attained in Month 4 postinitiation, at 115.2% of RSD. Approximately 46% of patients had a preinitiation T assay; these men were more likely to receive a diagnosis of HG or another low testosterone condition, to have a follow-up T assay, to continue treatment by filling a nonindex TRT, and less likely to stop refilling treatment with their index TTA. Differences in care following TTA initiation suggest that preinitiation T assays (i.e., guideline-based care) may be helpful in ensuring treatment benefits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A486-A486
Author(s):  
Kongnara Papangkorn ◽  
Kiran Vangara ◽  
Benjamin J Bruno ◽  
Kilyoung Kim ◽  
Nachiappan Chidambaram ◽  
...  

Abstract Most widely used testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) products can be inconvenient and cumbersome topical and invasive injectable requiring dose adjustments to attain efficacy. In a pivotal study, a recently approved oral TRT only 26% of patients did not require any dose adjustment. Typically, patients start on a sub-therapeutic dose with gradual dose increases to attain efficacy resulting in additional visit(s) to clinic and pharmacy. Physician research data (N=402) suggested it typically takes 3-6 months of titrations to reach an efficacious dose for majority of patients, a significant barrier in effecting a switch without a period of “efficacy gap”. The requirement of additional visit(s) presents significant challenges for new and current patients desiring to start and to switch to a convenient TRT option, especially in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Recent reports suggest increase of disease severity/mortality in men with low testosterone is possibly due to underlying co-morbidities commonly associated with male hypogonadism. There remains a need for an effective, safe, and easy to use and prescribe product that does not require dose titration. TLANDO is a “triglyceride-free” oral single strength TRT with single dose designed to lymphatically deliver effective and safe levels of testosterone regardless of meal fat content. Moreover, dose titration is prone to some inherent titration decision errors and requires understanding of often complex titration rules. The objective is to assess whether TLANDO, an oral TRT without requiring dose titration, safely restores effective testosterone (T) levels in hypogonadal men. An open-label, single-arm, multicenter study (NCT03242590) was performed with TLANDO in hypogonadal males (N=95). Subjects received orally 225 mg twice a day testosterone undecanoate (TU) for 24 days without dose adjustment. Efficacy was evaluated by % of subjects who achieved daily T Cavg within the eugonadal range. Using 450mg daily dose without dose adjustment, 80% of subjects (95% CI of 72% to 88%) achieved a T Cavg in the normal range and safely restored with mean T Cavg of 476±184 ng/dL post steady state. T restoration was comparable to other non-oral TRT products. TLANDO was well tolerated with no deaths, no drug-related severe AEs, and no hepatic AEs. In conclusion, effective T restoration using TLANDO, an easy to use and prescribe oral TRT option, was confirmed. Minimal AEs were reported with no hepatic AEs. Upon approval, TLANDO will be the first convenient TRT option without requiring dose adjustments; therefore, enabling selection of an efficacious dose from the start of therapy. TLANDO is well suited for new or existing TRT patients desiring a convenient oral option.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A495-A496
Author(s):  
Benjamin J Bruno ◽  
Kiran Vangara ◽  
Kilyoung Kim ◽  
Kongnara Papangkorn ◽  
Nachiappan Chidambaram ◽  
...  

Abstract Male hypogonadism is characterized by symptoms and deficiency (<300 ng/dL) in levels of in total testosterone (TT), a critical hormone for sexual, cognitive, and body function and development. TLANDO, a testosterone undecanoate (TU) comprising lymphatically delivered oral testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) option not requiring dose titration, treatment has demonstrated effective restoration in hypogonadal men of TT levels to the eugonadal range in multiple clinical studies. TLANDO therapy resulted in decreased sex hormone binding globulin with increased free testosterone (FT). TLANDO’s unique delivery system enables consistent restoration of TT regardless of meal fat content. Moreover, TLANDO has shown potential to improve liver health through resolution of fatty liver disease in hypogonadal men and is not known to have any adverse liver effects. However, it is unclear if fixed dose TLANDO therapy without dose adjustment improves symptoms of psychosexual functions. The objective is to assess key sexual and mental domain Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) post 52 weeks of treatment using TLANDO on the to-be-marketed dosing regimen in comparison with a widely used topical TRT, Androgel 1.62%. Data analysis was performed in in hypogonadal males post TLANDO treatment without dose adjustment, and in patients on the active control from a randomized, multi-center, open label, active controlled 52-week trial (SOAR, NCT02081300). Sexual and mental domain function PROs were measured at baseline (BL) and end of study (EOS) using Psychosexual Daily Questionnaire (PDQ) and Short Form (SF)-36 surveys and compared between TLANDO and active control. Post treatment with TLANDO dosing regimen not requiring dose titration, key sexual domain function PROs at week 52 were significantly (p<0.05) improved from BL: positive mood (BL:4.5 vs EOS:5.1, p<0.001), negative mood (1.8 vs 1.4, p<0.01), overall sexual desire (2.5 vs 3.7, p<0.001), sexual activity (2.5 vs 4.0, p<0.001), highest pleasure with partner (2.0 vs 2.8, p=0.06), highest pleasure without partner (1.8 vs 2.4, p<0.05), weekly maintained erection (3.3 vs 4.5, p<0.001), and weekly full erection % (50.5% vs 68.9%, p<0.001). Most sexual and mental function PROs were comparable to Androgel 1.62. TLANDO therapy was well tolerated through 52 weeks of treatment exposure. In conclusion, TLANDO, a novel easy to use and prescribe TRT not requiring dose titration, demonstrated improvement in sexual and mental PROs, a significant unmet need in hypogonadal males. Further placebo-controlled studies are warranted to better elucidate these improvements.


Author(s):  
Tanja Grubić Kezele

Abstract Objective To illustrate the importance of treatment duration with intramuscular testosterone undecanoate (Nebido®) for the final spermatogenesis recovery after treatment cessation. Also, to show a subsequent poor efficacy of the selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) clomiphene citrate (CC) in treating steroid-induced azoospermia following Nebido® cessation and describe that initial oligozoospermia, existing before starting Nebido®, largely contributes to that treatment outcome. Methodology Setting: Department of Human Reproduction and Department of Endocrinology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, and Department of Endocrinology, Clinical Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. Patient: A male patient having been diagnosed with primary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, oligozoospermia and low testosterone (T) level, was treated with intramuscular testosterone undecanoate (TU) depot 1 g (Nebido®) to prevent further progression of testosterone deficiency symptoms (low mood, energy and concentration, fatigue, muscle weakness). Interventions: Stopping Nebido® and treatment with CC 50 mg per day 5 days per week for 3–6 month to recover spermatogenesis. Main outcome measures: T levels and semen analyses. Results Semen analyses did not return to values before taking Nebido® 1 year after cessation nor after 3 months of treatment with CC. Values of T, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) dropped even more than before starting Nebido®, after 1 year of cessation. Conclusions Here we describe a case of initially idiopathic gonadal failure with subsequent secondary gonadal failure and infertility resulting from testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) treatment, and poor spermatogenesis recovery outcome of CC used post Nebido® cessation.


1975 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nakashima ◽  
K. Koshiyama ◽  
T. Uozumi ◽  
Y. Monden ◽  
Y. Hamanaka ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Significantly decreased levels of serum testosterone from the pre-anaesthesia level were found during and up to 7 days following major surgery under general anaesthesia (nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane following induction with thiopental and succinylcholine chloride) in 18 male patients. On the other hand, in the same patients, the serum luteinizing hormone (LH) increased significantly from the pre-anaesthesia level 30 min and 1 h after the beginning of anaesthesia. A slight increase in LH level was also noted on the 7th post-operative day. The determinations of serum testosterone and LH in fiberoptic bronchoscopy under the same general anaesthesia as that used in surgery or local anaesthesia in 26 male patients, revealed that the change in the serum LH during and following surgery seemed to be mainly induced by the general anaesthesia and that the rate of decrease in the serum testosterone may be related to the severity of surgical stress including the anaesthesia. The rate of increase in serum testosterone following the injection of gonadotrophin in 20 males on the 6th post-operative day was similar to that in 10 pre-operative males. The effects of pulmonary lobectomy on serum testosterone and urinary steroids were also studied in 6 males under adrenal suppression with dexamethasone. On the 6th post-operative day, the urinary aetiocholanolone plus androsterone and serum testosterone were found to be half the level of those on the pre-operative day, while the urinary 5β-pregnane-3α,17α,20α-triol remained unchanged. These observations in human are not inconsistent with the report of Tcholakian & Eik-Nes (1971) in dogs namely that a shift in androgen biosynthetic pathway is present in the testis under surgical stress.


1979 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-192
Author(s):  
Evangelina Valdés ◽  
Carlos Fernández del Castillo ◽  
Raul Gutiérrez ◽  
Fernando Larrea ◽  
Martha Medina ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A 12-year old, 46 XX true hermaphrodite born with genital ambiguity was studied and successfully treated. The serum LH and FSH profile resembled that of a pubertal normal individual, and LH-RH administration induced a normal LH response. Baseline testosterone serum levels were within the range for normal children. Exogenous HCG stimulation induced a significant serum testosterone increase up to values similar to those observed in normal post-pubertal males. Surgical examination disclosed the presence of bilateral ovotestis, normal Mullerian derivatives, epididymis, and vas deferens. A complete ovotestis with testicular predominance and the testicular portion of the contralateral ovotestis as well as the Wolffian derivatives, were removed. A further HCG stimulation 3 months after surgery, failed to induce serum testosterone increase. Spontaneous menarche was observed 6 months after surgery and ovulation was well documented. At present the patient has several characteristics of female sex including those of chromosome complement, gonad, internal and external genitalia, hormone levels and gender identity, thus demonstrating that treatment was successful and that reproductive function could be obtained. The finding of spontaneous ovulation following removal of the testicular portion suggests normal cyclic gonadotrophic release implying a difference between animal models and man in regard to hypothalamic virilization.


1983 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Th. Schürmeyer ◽  
E. J. Wickings ◽  
C. W. Freischem ◽  
E. Nieschlag

Abstract. Since saliva testosterone reflects the testosterone fraction available to target tissues the therapeutic effectiveness of orally administered testosterone undecanoate was assessed by measuring testosterone in serum and saliva. Matched saliva and serum samples were obtained from 12 normal men and 8 hypogonadal men before and at hourly intervals after the oral administration of 120 mg testosterone undecanoate. The test was repeated in 3 men after they had taken 40 mg testosterone undecanoate twice daily for 4 to 5 weeks. Following testosterone undecanoate administration serum and saliva testosterone always showed parallel increases. However, the absorption curves showed a high interindividual variability in the time when maximum concentrations were reached, as well as in the maximum levels themselves. The increases in serum and saliva testosterone were similar in normal and hypogonadal men. In normal men basal levels were reached 4 h after the maximum had occurred, while in hypogonadal men testosterone levels were not different from basal levels 2 h after the maximum. The study shows that testosterone undecanoate is well absorbed from the gut and releases significantly elevated amounts of testosterone which is available to target tissues. As the absorption pattern was always parallel in both fluids, hydrolysis of the circulating testosterone ester by the tissue ifself seems to effect no additional increase of testosterone in the tissue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald S Swerdloff ◽  
John K Amory ◽  
Adrian S Dobs ◽  
Christina Wang ◽  
Theodore M Danoff ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction and Objective: A new, first-in-class oral testosterone (T) replacement therapy product [T-undecanoate (TU) capsules] was recently approved by FDA to treat hypogonadal men. Clinical trials were conducted to evaluate, in part, the impact of oral TU therapy on important secondary efficacy endpoints: Psychosexual and/or general well-being (Trial I and II); and body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) (Trial II). Subject and Methods: Hypogonadal men (AM serum T ≤ 300 ng/dL) age 18 to 65 (Trial I) or 75 years old (Trial II) were randomized into open-label, active-comparator (T-gel/solution) trials. Subjects received: Trial 1: Oral TU (n=166) or a topical T solution (n=55) for 4-6 mos.; or Trial II: Oral TU (n=162) or T-gel (n=163) for 12 mos. The starting oral TU dose (with food) was 237 mg, BID in Trial I and 316 mg, BID in Trial II; up to 2 dose-titration opportunities were available to achieve eugonadal T concentrations (assayed by LC-MS/MS). In Trial I, Psychosexual Daily Questionnaires (PDQ) were completed by study subjects for 7 days at baseline and prior to final clinic visit (Day 105-180). In Trial II, the SF-36 well-being questionnaire was completed on Days 0, 30, 90, 180, 270 and 365 and PDQs were completed for 7 days prior to clinic visits on these same days. In Trial II body composition and BMD was assessed by DEXA scan on Days 0, 180 and 365. Safety was monitored by physical exam and standard clinical lab tests. Results: Mean serum T in response to oral TU was 489 ± 155 ng/dL (mean ± SD) (Trial I) and 628 ± 342 ng/dL (Trial II); 84% of subjects in each trial achieved mean T concentrations in the eugonadal range. Statistically significant mean changes from baseline (p<0.0001) for most SF-36 well-being parameters were observed in both oral TU and T-gel groups. Psychosexual questionnaire results also demonstrated statistically significant improvement over baseline (p<0.0001) in most parameters at Day 30 and all timepoints thereafter in both trials. On Days 180 and 365 (v. baseline) oral TU was associated with a significant reduction in fat mass [-1.92 ± 2.79 (SD) and -2.4 ± 3.6 kg, respectively] (p<0.0001) and an increase in lean body mass [+2.87 ± 2.73 and +3.15 ± 2.69 kg, respectively] (p<0.0001). Oral TU increased mean BMD over baseline on Days 180 and 365 in spine [+0.013 ± 0.035 and +0.018 ± 0.042 g/cm2, respectively (p<0.0001)] and hip [+0.006 ± 0.019 and +0.012 ± 0.023 g/cm2, respectively (p<0.0001)]. Oral TU exhibited a safety profile consistent with commonly prescribed topical T-comparators. Modest increases in cuff sBP of 2.8 ± 11.84 (SD) mm Hg and 1.8 ± 10.76 mm Hg were observed in Trial I for both oral TU and the comparator T-solution. Conclusions: Treatment of hypogonadal men with oral TU yielded circulating mean T concentrations in the mid-eugonadal range and significantly improved psychosexual, general well-being, body composition and BMD parameters comparable to transdermal T administration.


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