Prevalence of major depressive disorder in self-referred patients in a late onset hypogonadism clinic

The goal was to clarify the rate of major depressive disorder (MDD) in self-referred patients who visited our late onset hypogonadism (LOH) clinic and the importance of screening of MDD in LOH clinic. Two hundred consecutive self-referred patients who visited our LOH clinic were evaluated. MDD was diagnosed using, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview ( MINI) questionnaire. Scores of the Aging Males Symptom (AMS) scale were compared between the MDD and non-MDD groups with and without low testosterone values. Forty-two percent of all patients were categorized into the MDD group. Only 4% of the patients were considered to be LOH. The MDD group had significantly higher scores on the AMS scale than the LOH and non-MDD with normal testosterone groups. In conclusion, significant numbers of undiagnosed MDD patients visited the LOH clinic. Screening for MDD is an essential step in the LOH outpatient clinic.