Outcomes of Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Low Serum Testosterone

Study Objectives

• To confirm and quantify the presence of hypotestosteronemia in critically ill male patients with acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation via endotracheal intubation.
• To correlate serum testosterone levels with disease severity, short-term outcomes, and survival in mechanically ventilated male patients.
• To determine if demographic patient characteristics, such as age, admitting diagnosis, or the presence of co-morbidities, affect serum testosterone levels during mechanical ventilation.

Inclusion criteria

• Male
• Age > 18
• Admission diagnosis of acute respiratory failure requiring endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for > 24 hours
• APACHE II score > 15 (APACHE: Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation - general indicator of disease severity and outcomes predictor)

Exclusion criteria

• Chronic mechanical ventilation (i.e. patients on mechanical ventilatory support for > 21 days for at least 6 hours per day)
• Patients on mechanical ventilation for > 48 hours prior to MICU admission
• Non-invasive mechanical ventilation
• Patients intubated and mechanically ventilated for drug overdose and anticipated to be intubated for < 24 hours
• Known diagnosis of hypogonadism (requiring testosterone hormonal supplementation) or currently receiving testosterone therapy or received testosterone therapy within 30 days of MICU admission
• History of testicular, prostate or pituitary tumor
• Chronic use of systemic steroids prior to admission
• Terminally ill patients who are not expected to live longer that 3 months