Lipid accumulation product and late-onset hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly men: results from a cross-sectional study in China

OBJECTIVES: Hypogonadism in men is related to the deterioration of general health. However, the association between lipid overaccumulation and ageing-related hypogonadism remains an undetermined concept. We aimed to provide an insight into the possible links between the lipid accumulation product (LAP) and late-onset hypogonadism (LOH). SETTING: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. PARTICIPANTS: We included a population sample of 997 subjects aged 40 years or older. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The LAP was calculated by gender-specific equations using waist circumference (WC) and triglyceride (TG). LOH was defined by the presence of androgen deficiency symptoms and low serum total testosterone levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of LOH was 9.4% in this population and gradually increased according to increasing LAP quartiles. Compared with subjects without LOH, ageing men with LOH had higher body mass index, WC, systolic blood pressure, percentage of subjects currently smoking, TG and follicle stimulating hormone and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and sex hormone binding globulin. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the adjusted ORs of LOH for increasing LAP quartiles 1–4 were 1.00 (reference), 1.10 (95% CI 0.45–2.69), 2.15 (95% CI 0.93–4.94) and 3.83 (95% CI 1.73–8.45), respectively. CONCLUSION: Body lipid accumulation evaluated by the LAP is independently associated with the prevalence of LOH in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men.