Camuso, Matthew R.Matsumoto, Alvin M.Chansky, Kari L.Bremner, William J.Anawalt, Bradley D.Hoey, Chris T.Amory, John K.Chansky, Howard A.2008-10-172008-10-172002-10J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002 Oct;50(10):1698-701http://hdl.handle.net/1773/4441OBJECTIVES: Older patients undergoing knee replacement surgery can recover more slowly than younger patients and require extended rehabilitation. Because administration of supraphysiological testosterone (T) dramatically increases strength, we hypothesized that preoperative T therapy would improve functional recovery and reduce hospital stay in older men undergoing knee replacement surgery. DESIGN: Double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot trial. SETTING: A Veterans Affairs orthopedics clinic and inpatient postoperative unit. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five men, mean age 70, undergoing elective knee replacement. INTERVENTION: Preoperative, supraphysiological T administration (600 mg T enanthate intramuscularly weekly for 4 weeks) or sesame oil placebo. MEASUREMENTS: Length of hospital stay and functional ability by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score. RESULTS: Mean length of hospital stay +/- standard deviation was nonsignificantly reduced in the T group (5.9 +/- 2.4 days vs 6.8 +/- 2.5 days; P =.15). At postoperative Day 3, there was a significant improvement in ability to stand (mean FIM score 5.2 +/- 1.0 vs 4.0 +/- 1.1; P =.04) and trends towards improvements in walking and stair climbing in the T group. There were no complications attributable to T therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In older men undergoing knee replacement surgery, preoperative supraphysiological T administration may confer some clinical benefit. Future studies using longer courses of preoperative T administration in larger numbers of older men undergoing knee replacement surgery are warranted.en-UScolchicinemale contraceptiontestosteroneandrologyreifenstein's syndromespermatogenesisklinefelter's syndrome5-alpha reductase inhibitorsgonadotropinsAgedResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.Testosterone, administration & dosage, therapeutic useArthroplasty, Replacement, Knee, rehabilitationHumansAged, 80 and overMiddle AgedInjections, IntramuscularLength of StayPremedicationDouble-Blind MethodMaleTreatment OutcomeRecovery of FunctionPreoperative CarePostoperative Complications, prevention & controlArticle