Search

Background: erectile dysfunction is associated with mortality, whereas the association between low testosterone (T) and higher mortality remains controversial. Sexual dysfunction and low T often coexist, but the relative importance of sexual symptoms versus low T in predicting mortality is not known. We studied the interrelationships between sex steroids and sexual symptoms with all-cause mortality in a large prospective cohort of European men., Design: survival status was assessed in 1,788 community-dwelling men, aged 40-79, who participated in the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). Sexual symptoms were evaluated via a validated questionnaire (EMAS-SFQ). Sex steroids were measured by mass spectrometry. Cox proportional hazard models were used to study the association between hormones, sexual symptoms and mortality., Results: about 420 (25.3%) men died during a mean follow-up of 12.6 ± 3.1 years. Total T levels were similar in both groups, but free T was lower in those who died. Men with three sexual symptoms (erectile dysfunction, reduced morning erections and lower libido) had a higher mortality risk compared with men with none of these symptoms (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals: 1.75 (1.28-2.40, P = 0.001)). Particularly, erectile dysfunction and poor morning erections, but not lower libido, were associated with increased mortality (HR 1.40 (1.13-1.74, P = 0.002), 1.28 (1.04-1.59, P = 0.023) and 1.12 (0.90-1.39, P = 0.312), respectively). Further adjusting for total T, free T or oestradiol did not influence the observed risk., Conclusions: sexual symptoms, in particular erectile dysfunction, predict all-cause mortality independently of sex steroids and can be an early warning sign of a poor health status., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: frailty is associated with an increased risk of fragility fractures. Less is known, however, about the association between frailty and bone health., Methods: men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in eight European centres for participation in the European Male Aging Study. Subjects completed a comprehensive assessment which included quantitative ultrasound (QUS) scan of the heel (Hologic-SAHARA) and in two centres, dual-energy bone densitometry (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, DXA). Frailty was defined based on an adaptation of Fried's phenotype criteria and a frailty index (FI) was constructed. The association between frailty and the QUS and DXA parameters was determined using linear regression, with adjustments for age, body mass index and centre., Results: in total, 3,231 subjects contributed data to the analysis. Using the Fried categorisation of frailty, pre-frail and frail men had significantly lower speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) compared to robust men (P< 0.05). Similar results were seen using the FI after categorisation into 'high', 'medium' and 'low' levels of frailty. Using the Fried categorisation, frail men had lower femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) compared to robust men (P < 0.05), but not lower lumbar spine BMD. Using the FI categorisation, a 'high' level of frailty (FI > 0.35) was associated with lower lumbar spine BMD (P < 0.05) when compared to those with low (FI < 0.2), but not lower femoral neck BMD. When analysed as a continuous variable, higher FI was linked with lower SOS, BUA and QUI (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: optimisation of bone health as well as prevention of falls should be considered as strategies to reduce fractures in frail older people., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.)

Background: we hypothesised that chronic widespread pain (CWP), by acting as a potential stressor, may predispose to the development of, or worsening, frailty., Setting: longitudinal analysis within the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)., Participants: a total of 2,736 community-dwelling men aged 40-79., Methods: subjects completed a pain questionnaire and shaded a manikin, with the presence of CWP defined using the American College of Rheumatology criteria. Physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and depression were measured. Repeat assessments took place a median of 4.3 years later. A frailty index (FI) was used, with frail defined as an FI >0.35. The association between CWP at baseline and the new occurrence of frailty was examined using logistic regression; the association between CWP at baseline and change in FI was examined using negative binomial regression., Results: at baseline, 218 (8.3%) men reported CWP. Of the 2,631 men who were defined as non-frail at baseline, 112 (4.3%) were frail at follow-up; their mean FI was 0.12 (SD 0.1) at baseline and 0.15 (SD 0.1) at follow-up, with a mean change of 0.03 (SD 0.08) P ≤ 0.001. Among men who were non-frail at baseline, those with CWP were significantly more likely to develop frailty. After adjustment for age and centre, compared with those with no pain, those with CWP at baseline had a 70% higher FI at follow-up; these associations remained significant after further adjustment for smoking, body mass index, depression, physical activity and FI at baseline., Conclusion: the presence of CWP is associated with an increased risk of frailty in older European men., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.)

Background: low bone mineral density measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is associated with increased mortality. The relationship between other skeletal phenotypes and mortality is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between quantitative heel ultrasound parameters and mortality in a cohort of European men., Methods: men aged 40-79 years were recruited for participation in a prospective study of male ageing: the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). At baseline, subjects attended for quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the heel (Hologic-SAHARA) and completed questionnaires on lifestyle factors and co-morbidities. Height and weight were measured. After a median of 4.3 years, subjects were invited to attend a follow-up assessment, and reasons for non-participation, including death, were recorded. The relationship between QUS parameters (broadband ultrasound attenuation [BUA] and speed of sound [SOS]) and mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards model., Results: from a total of 3,244 men (mean age 59.8, standard deviation [SD] 10.8 years), 185 (5.7%) died during the follow-up period. After adjusting for age, centre, body mass index, physical activity, current smoking, number of co-morbidities and general health, each SD decrease in BUA was associated with a 20% higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per SD = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-1.4). Compared with those in higher quintiles (2nd-5th), those in the lowest quintile of BUA and SOS had a greater mortality risk (BUA: HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1-2.3 and SOS: HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.2-2.2)., Conclusion: lower heel ultrasound parameters are associated with increased mortality in European men., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.)

Background: vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of mortality, but whether this relationship is causal or linked to co-existent comorbidity and adverse life factors remains uncertain. Our objective was to determine whether endogenous 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels predicted all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality independently of health and lifestyle factors., Setting: : prospective cohort analysis within the European Male Ageing Study., Participants: : 2,816 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years at baseline., Methods: : Cox regression was used to examine the association of all-cause mortality with 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and PTH; cardiovascular and cancer mortality were modelled using competing-risks regression. Results were expressed as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for Cox models; sub-hazard ratios (SHR) and 95% CIs for competing-risks models., Results: : a total of 187 men died during a median of 4.3 years of follow-up. Serum levels of 25(OH)D (per 1 SD decrease: HR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.81) and 1,25(OH)2D (per 1 SD decrease: HR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.44) were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, centre, smoking, self-reported morbidities, physical activity and functional performance. Only levels of 25(OH)D <25 nmol/l predicted cancer mortality (SHR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.38, 8.04)., Conclusion: : lower 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D levels independently predicted all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older European men. Associations with cancer mortality were only observed among men with very low levels of 25(OH)D. These associations were only partially explained by the range of adverse health and lifestyle factors measured here., (© The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: the link between the vitamin D endocrine axis and frailty remains undefined, with few studies examining the joint effect of vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Our objective was to determine the association of frailty with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and PTH., Setting: cross-sectional analysis within the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)., Participants: a total of 1,504 community-dwelling men aged 60-79 years., Methods: frailty was classified using a frailty phenotype (FP) and frailty index (FI). The association of frailty with 25(OH)D and PTH was examined using multinomial logistic regression; individual FP criteria with 25(OH)D and PTH using binary logistic regression. Results were expressed as relative odds ratios (ROR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for multinomial; odds ratios (OR) and 95% CIs for binary models., Results: using the FP, 5.0% of subjects were classified as frail and 36.6% as prefrail. Lower levels of 25(OH)D were associated with being prefrail (per 1 SD decrease: ROR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.26-1.67) and frail (ROR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.30-2.76), after adjusting for age, centre and health and lifestyle confounders (robust group = base category). Higher levels of PTH were associated with being frail after adjustment for confounders (per 1 SD increase: ROR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.01-1.52). Comparable results were found using the FI. Among the five FP criteria only sarcopenia was not associated with 25(OH)D levels, while only weakness was associated with PTH., Conclusion: lower 25(OH)D and higher PTH levels were positively associated with frailty in older men. Prospective data would enable the temporal nature of this relationship to be explored further.