Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32745001›Full record

ArticleCanadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada2021

Testosterone therapy: Prescribing and monitoring patterns of practice in British Columbia.

Jennifer A Locke, Ryan Flannigan, Oliver P Günther, Sean Skeldon, S Larry Goldenberg

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Streamlined Testosterone Order Template to Improve the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Hypogonadism in Veterans.Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jennifer A LockeDepartment of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Ryan FlanniganDepartment of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Oliver P GüntherDepartment of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sean SkeldonDepartment of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
S Larry GoldenbergDepartment of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
University of British Columbia · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGuidelines recommend that testosterone therapy (TTh) be restricted to men with a biochemical diagnosis of hypogonadism, and that therapeutic responses be titrated within the normal range.

methodsUsing four provincial longitudinal databases in British Columbia, we identified men prescribed TTh from 1997-2013. We characterized the prescribing and monitoring practices of TTh in the context of serum testosterone levels drawn prior to and following initiation of TTh in a population-based setting.

resultsIn our analysis of 37 741 men who received at least one TTh prescription, 48% received injectable testosterone and the vast majority were treated by general practitioners. The number of prescriptions for men increased annually, particularly after 2008; 40% discontinued their treatment after their first or second prescription, while 27% received more than 10 repeats. The absolute percentage of pre- and post-serum testosterone levels ordered increased by 16% and 31% during the study period, respectively. However, after initiating TTh, only 36% of all the men had a followup serum testosterone level drawn. Of those with low serum testosterone levels prior to TTh, 49% remained biochemically hypogonadal following TTh, suggesting non-compliance or inadequate dosing.

conclusionsMany men prescribed TTh did not continue beyond a short trial. While the practice of checking pre-and post-TTh testosterone levels improved over the study period, it is concerning that only one-third had a followup serum testosterone level and half remained biochemically low. Further education is required around TTh prescribing, dose titration, and monitoring to ensure both effective and safe prescribing practice.

Identifiers

PMID32745001
PMCPMC7864698
OpenAlexW3045887286

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.