Treatment with Testosterone Therapy: Testosterone and Cardiovascular Risk: The TRAVERSE Trial

In this presentation from the 32nd Annual Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint meeting, Tobias S. Kohler, MD, MPH, FACS, Professor of Urology, Director of the Andrology Fellowship, Head of Men’s Health, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, reviews the TRAVERSE Trial, a large randomized controlled study designed to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of testosterone therapy. The trial enrolled men with symptoms of hypogonadism, confirmed low testosterone levels, and elevated cardiovascular risk. Participants were randomized to receive either transdermal testosterone gel or placebo, with dosing adjusted to maintain physiologic testosterone levels. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Dr. Kohler reviews the trial design, regulatory background, and key findings. Testosterone therapy was non-inferior to placebo for the primary cardiovascular endpoint. Secondary analyses showed no increase in prostate cancer or acute urinary retention. Hematocrit elevations were more common with testosterone therapy, consistent with known effects. Dr. Kohler also discusses less common adverse events that occurred more frequently in the testosterone group, including atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism, emphasizing the importance of monitoring. He provides a clear overview of the TRAVERSE Trial and its implications for cardiovascular safety in appropriately selected patients. Don't forget to join the GRU Community: https://grandroundsinurology.com/regi... Follow us on Twitter/X: https://x.com/GRUrology And like and subscribe to us here on YouTube!