Transdermal testosterone improved sexual function in women who were not receiving estrogen.
Transdermal testosterone is not FDA-approved for treating women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), although this agent is approved in Europe. Because previous studies of testosterone and sexual function involved postmenopausal women who used concomitant estrogen therapy, attendant risks of estrogen were thought to impede delineation of testosterone-associated risks. To address this concern, investigators conducted an industry-sponsored, double-blind, prospective study of transdermal testosterone’s efficacy (24-week evaluation) and safety (52-week evaluation) in 814 postmenopausal women with HSDD who were not using estrogen. Participants were randomized to receive daily placebo or testosterone (150 µg or 300 µg), all delivered by…