This data will establish baseline data to assist in disease diagnosis and the treatment and prevention of diseases such as, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), androgen deficiency, cancer, and hormone imbalances in children. An estimated 5 to 7 million women in the United States (U.S) suffer with the effects of PCOS. It is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age, which can occur as young as 11 years old, and is the leading cause of infertility. The prevalence of symptomatic androgen deficiency in men between 30 and 79 years of age is estimated to be 5.6%. This increases substantially with age, affecting approximately 4 to 5 million men in the U.S. The aging of the U.S. male population will cause a large increase in the burden of symptomatic androgen deficiency.
Measurement of testosterone (T measurements) based on current research could provide insight into the diagnosis of several diseases and disorders. Examples include the detection of hormone-secreting tumors found in the breast and prostate. Elevated levels of testosterone in serum might be associated with certain prostate cancers. Additionally, it has been observed that changes in hormone levels in population studies were associated with several diseases including coronary artery disease and diabetes in men. As a result, T measurements could be used to report possible risk factors.
Participants aged 6 years and older, who do not meet any of the exclusion criteria, are eligible.
Measurements of total testosterone in serum are performed using isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) method for routine analysis developed by CDC. The method was created for high sample throughput and demonstrates high accuracy and precision over multiple years. It is certified by CDC Hormone Standardization Program (HoSt) and is traceable to certified reference materials obtained from Australian National Measurement Institute, ANMI M914, Australian for testosterone (Zhou, et al, 2017).
Serum specimens are processed, stored, and shipped to the Division of Environmental Health Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for analysis.
Detailed specimen collection and processing instructions are discussed in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual (LPM). Vials are stored under appropriate frozen (–20°C) conditions until they are shipped to the National Center for Environmental Health for testing.
This file contains no top coding.
The NHANES quality control and quality assurance protocols (QA/QC) meet the 1988 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments mandates. Detailed quality control and quality assurance instructions are discussed in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual (LPM). Read the LABDOC file for detailed QA/QC protocols.
Refer to the 2011-2012 Laboratory Data Overview for general information on NHANES laboratory data.
The analysis of NHANES 2011-2012 laboratory data must be conducted using the appropriate survey design and demographic variables. The NHANES 2011-2012 Demographics File contains demographic data, health indicators, and other related information collected during household interviews as well as the sample weight variables. The Fasting Questionnaire File includes auxiliary information such as fasting status, the time of venipuncture, and the conditions precluding venipuncture. The demographics and fasting questionnaire files may be linked to the laboratory data file using the unique survey participant identifier (i.e., SEQN).
Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues. The Analytic Guidelines are available on the NHANES website.
| Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 to 2543.99 | Range of Values | 6826 | 6826 | |
| . | Missing | 995 | 7821 |