The relationship of salivary testosterone and male sexual dysfunction in opioid-associated androgen deficiency (OPIAD)

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of clinical and socio-demographical characteristics of the participants.

			Erectile dysfunction (n = 94)
Parameter	Total (n = 120)	Control (n = 26)	No OPIAD (n = 76)	OPIAD (n = 18)	p values
Age (years)	58.8 ± 5.8	55.9 ± 14.7	59.8 ± 12.3	58.5 ± 10.3	0.402
Smoke status (%)	31%	35%	29%	33%	0.893
BMI (kg/m^2)	29.3 ± 5.2	27.6 ± 4.9	29.1 ± 4.8	32.5 ± 5.7	0.014
Comorbidity (%)	85%	81%	86%	89%	0.499
Total daily opioid dose (mg/day)	113.4 ± 101.8	106.0 ± 64.5	106.2 ± 97.2	153.5 ± 150.8	0.278
Adjuvants	85%	77%	85.5%	94.4%	0.196
Anticonvulsants	70%	68%	67.1%	66.7%	0.924
Antidepressants	39.2%	30.7%	85.5%	50%	0.287
Anxiolytics	22.5%	19.2%	22.3%	27.7%	0.655

The p-values <0.05 are highlighted in bold.

Table 2. VAS, HAD and IIEF scores for controls and ED patients.

			Erectile Dysfunction (n = 94)
Parameter	Total (n = 120)	Control (n = 26)	No OPIAD (n = 76)	OPIAD (n = 18)	p values
VAS (cm, 0–10)	5.8 ± 2.5	6.4 ± 2.6	5.7 ± 2.4	5.4 ± 3.1	0.417
EQ5-VAS (cm, 0–10)	48.4 ± 24.7	40.2 ± 28.5	48.8 ± 20.8	61.4 ± 30.7	0.072
HAD anxiety (0–21 scores)	9 (5–13)	14 (14–14)	9.5 (5–14.3)	3.5 (2–10)	0.070
HAD depression (0–21 scores)	8 (3.8–11.3)	7 (7–7)	8 (4–12)	6 (1–9.5)	0.501
IIEF (5–75 scores)	27 (16.3–40.8)	60 (43–64)	28.5 (19.3–40.8)	11 (6–28.5)	0.003
IIEF-erectile function (0–30 scores)	8 (4–16.8)	28 (27–30)	8 (6–16.8)	3 (1–6.5)	0.000

The p-values <0.05 are highlighted in bold.

Table 3. Blood analysis and salivary testosterone levels.

			Erectile dysfunction (n = 94)
Parameter	Total (n = 120)	Control (n = 26)	No OPIAD (n = 76)	OPIAD (n = 18)	p values
Total testosterone [3–10 ng/mL]	3.3 ± 1.6	3.4 ± 2.1	3.4 ± 1.6	1.4 ± 0.6	0.000
Free testosterone (ng/mL)	27.7 ± 15.0	30.3 ± 10.7	29.7 ± 16.1	15.8 ± 8.9	0.002
SHBG [4–72 nmol/L]	48.2 ± 24.1	50.7 ± 31.9	49.6 ± 22.1	39.7 ± 20.1	0.259
Salivary testosterone (pg/mL)	125.1 ± 67.1	101 ± 59.1	132.9 ± 69.8	104.1 ± 51.9	0.222
Glucose [74–106 mg/dL]	115.1 ± 62.3	130.0 ± 92.0	111.0 ± 56.0	110.0 ± 27.0	0.402
Urea [10–50 mg/dL]	39.4 ± 15.8	37.4 ± 10.3	40.0 ± 15.0	38.0 ± 23.0	0.703
Creatinine [0.7–1.20 mg/dL]	0.9 ± 0.2	0.8 ± 0.1	0.9 ± 0.3	0.79 ± 0.1	0.480
Uric acid [3.4–7 mg/dL]	5.3 ± 1.3	5.2 ± 1.2	5.5 ± 1.4	4.8 ± 1.3	0.685
Total cholesterol [110–200 mg/dL]	181.3 ± 41.2	186 ± 45	183.0 ± 39.0	167.0 ± 43.0	0.282
Triglycerides [50–200 mg/dL]	149.3 ± 88.0	148.8 ± 118.2	142.0 ± 76.0	181.0 ± 84.0	0.268
Total bilirubin [0.1–1.2 mg/dL]	0.5 ± 0.2	0.5 ± 0.18	0.5 ± 0.2	0.4 ± 0.2	0.456
AST [10–40 U/L]	20.0 ± 6.3	20.0 ± 6.0	20.0 ± 7.0	20.0 ± 7.0	0.608
ALT [10–41 U/L]	20.1 ± 6.3	23.0 ± 13.0	19.0 ± 8.0	19.0 ± 8.0	0.765
GGT [7–60 U/L]	35.0 ± 19.6	35.0 ± 20.0	35.0 ± 20.0	36.0 ± 17.0	0.752
Albumin [3660–5100 mg/dL]	4292.9 ± 418.8	4348.0 ± 375.0	4260.0 ± 401.0	4349.0 ± 536.0	0.563
TSH [0.38–4.84 mU/L]	2.2 ± 1.2	2.3 ± 1.1	2.2 ± 1.2	1.9 ± 1.2	0.452
Prolactin [4.6–21.0 ng/mL]	12.4 ± 12.9	9.7 ± 5.5	12.2 ± 12.4	9.0 ± 5.0	0.150
FSH [1–8 U/L]	6.1 ± 2.7	5.9 ± 3.1	6.4 ± 2.8	5.5 ± 1.8	0.302
LH [2–11.2 U/L]	5.5 ± 3.5	5.8 ± 4.1	5.9 ± 3.3	3.6 ± 2.0	0.043

The p-values <0.05 are highlighted in bold.

Figure 1. Correlation analysis of salivary testosterone with total (A), free (B) and bioavailable testosterone (C). Each dot corresponds to a different participant. *Correlation is significant (p ≤ 0.05).

Table 4. Testosterone levels in ED patients according to ED severity.

	Severe	Moderate	Mild	p values (1)	p values (2)	p values (3)
Total testosterone [3–10 ng/mL]	2.9 ± 1.3	3.8 ± 1.3	4.2 ± 1.5	0.010	0.012	0.004
Free testosterone (ng/mL)	25.0 ± 13.2	39.4 ± 17.1	37.8 ± 19.7	0.010	0.034	0.003
Bio-T (ng/mL)	9.4 ± 3.9	12.9 ± 4.4	14.7 ± 4.9	0.002	0.003	0.001
SHBG [4–72 nmol/L]	47.8 ± 24.3	36.2 ± 14.1	46.2 ± 19.1	0.473	0.766	0.585
Salivary testosterone (pg/mL)	122.3 ± 59.4	152.6 ± 67.9	170.0 ± 80.1	0.093	0.045	0.036
IIEF (5–75 scores)	21 (8–28)	37 (29–42)	50 (42–53)	0.000	0.000	0.000
IIEF-EF (0–30 scores)	6 (2–8)	14 (11–14)	21 (18–24)	0.000	0.000	0.000

p values (1): comparison between all groups; p values (2): severe–moderate versus mild; p values (3): severe versus moderate–mild.

The p-values <0.05 are highlighted in bold.

Figure 2. Correlation analysis of IIEF with total (A), free (B), bioavailable (C) and salivary (D) testosterone. Each dot corresponds to a different participant. *Correlation is significant (p ≤ 0.05). **Correlation is very significant (p ≤ 0.01).