Reduced muscle strength and functional performance in men with prostate cancer undergoing androgen suppression: a comprehensive cross-sectional investigation

This study examined the effects of androgen suppression therapy (AST) on upper and lower body muscle strength and a range of direct measures of physical performance using a cross-sectional design with 118 men (48 men undertaking AST for prostate cancer and 70 healthy aged-matched controls) from a single tertiary center. Primary end points included muscle strength for the upper- and lower-body; functional performance—repeated chair rise, usual and fast 6-m walk, 6-m backwards walk and 400-m walk time; and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry assessment—whole body, regional soft tissue composition and bone mineral density (BMD). Men on AST had significantly reduced muscle strength for the upper- and lower-body and impaired functional performance compared to controls ( P