Salivary excretory pattern of testosterone in substitutive therapy with testosterone enanthate

To determine salivary and serum T levels by an RIA method after a single injection of 250mg IM of commercially available T enanthate. Research study. Patients attended in a hospital environment. Sixteen men with secondary hypogonadism. Testosterone enanthate was administered, and salivary samples were taken before the injection. Thereafter, these samples were obtained daily until day 7 and then on alternate days until day 28 after injection. Blood samples were taken previously and after the injection (5 samples during the month). Salivary and serum T. Salivary T levels rose from 3.46±3.16 to 13.82±7.78ng/100mL (0.12±0.11 to 0.48±0.27nmol/L) within 24hours and remained in that range until day 7. From day 9, 7.20±2.88ng/100mL (0.25±0.10nmol/L), a progressive decrease of these values was observed until day 14: 5.18±2.88ng/100mL (0.18±0.10nmol/L). From day 16 until day 28, salivary concentrations returned to hypogonadal levels. We conclude that T salivary concentrations may be applied to assess the effectiveness of T substitutive therapy in hypogonadal men and could replace serum in the monitoring of this type of therapy.