Methodische Aspekte zur Bestimmung der Testosteronkonzentration als Biomarker der Gesundheit des Mannes

Male testosterone concentrations gained recent attention in the field of andrology. Various epidemiological cohort studies presented associations of low serum testosterone concentrations with incident cardiovascular risk factors and increased mortality risk. Furthermore, low serum testosterone concentrations are integral part for the diagnosis of late-onset hypogonadism. Because of their high validity and throughput, mass spectrometry assays have replaced conventional immunoassays for testosterone measurement, and are believed to become the "gold standard" for sex hormone quantitation. This article will focus on challenges in the measurement of serum testosterone concentrations and will provide practical information on the interpretation of serum testosterone measurements.