The quantitative ADAM questionnaire: A new tool in quantifying the severity of hypogonadism

Abstract

Androgen deficiency is a pervasive problem in the older male population and is thought to be responsible for many symptoms once considered to be the result of normal aging. Numerous methods have been proposed to facilitate the detection of men at risk for androgen deficiency. In this article, we propose a novel screening tool, the quantitative Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (qADAM) questionnaire and report its successful use in quantifying the severity of androgen deficiency in a group of older men. Fifty-seven males scheduled to undergo radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer completed the qADAM as well as the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite hormonal/sexual (EPICh/EPICs) questionnaires. Thirty-four men also had serum testosterone levels measured for comparison. The qADAM showed statistically significant correlation to the SHIM (P = 0.001), EPICh (P = 0.016), EPICs (P = 0.001), and serum testosterone (P0.046). The qADAM represents a viable alternative to existing questionnaires used to detect androgen deficiency and to assess response to treatment. © 2010 Nature Publishing Group.