Low serum testosterone concentrations predict incident frailty in men with HIV
Authors' conclusion
Low T levels predict incident frailty in men with HIV. Assessment of androgen status may help identify men at increased frailty risk. Further investigations are warranted to assess the role of T therapy in frailty prevention.
Study context
- Population
- Non-frail men with HIV (129 robust, 177 prefrail) with longitudinal frailty assessments, MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study129 robust, 177 prefrail
- Participants
- 306 men
- Exposure
- Low vs higher free T and total T concentrations
- Outcome
- Incident frailty defined using the Fried frailty phenotype
- Follow-up
- Mean 9.0 years
Methodological detailsmarginal structural models, Free T assessed by equilibrium dialysis
- Marginal structural models
- Free T assessed by equilibrium dialysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident frailty
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Low free Tvs Higher free T
2.49(1.21–5.11)
Low total Tvs Higher total T
3.31(1.26–8.68)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were not consistently associated with frailty outcomes
Original publication
Low serum testosterone concentrations predict incident frailty in men with HIV. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 26 June 2026. doi:10.
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