Plasma sex hormone levels and mortality in disabled older men and women

Aim: To investigate the relationship between circulating sex hormone levels and subsequent mortality in disabled elderly. Methods: This prospective observational study was comprised of 214 elderly subjects aged 70–96 years (117 men and 97 women; mean ± standard deviation age, 83 ± 7 years), receiving services at long‐term care facilities in Nagano, Japan. All‐cause mortality by baseline plasma sex hormone levels was measured. Results: After excluding deaths during the first 6 months, 27 deaths in men and 28 deaths in women occurred during a mean follow up of 32 months and 45 months (up to 52 months), respectively. Mortality rates differed significantly between high and low testosterone tertiles in men, but did not differ significantly between middle and low tertiles. Compared with subjects in the middle and high tertiles, men with testosterone levels in the low tertile (