AMS questionnaire
Do you feel like you have passed your peak? While men do not experience an abrupt decline in sex hormones like women do, many men start to experience bothersome symptoms as they get older, or gain body weight (regardless of age).
The Ageing Males' Symptoms scale (AMS) is the most commonly used scale worldwide to measure health-related quality of life and symptoms in ageing males.5 It is a self-administered questionnaire that will help you:6
- Assess symptoms of ageing.
- Evaluate the severity of your symptoms over time.
- Measure changes in symptoms before and after testosterone therapy.
The AMS questionnaire itself (or any other questionnaire) does not constitute a test or diagnosis of hypogonadism (also known as testosterone deficiency). A diagnosis of hypogonadism is based on symptoms that are indicative of testosterone deficiency (the AMS questionnaire can be used for symptom evaluation), combined with low testosterone levels as detected by mandatory blood testing.1-4
The AMS scale is comparable to other scales for ageing males or screening instruments for testosterone deficiency, and thus can be used to identify symptomatic men who should be investigated further with a blood test of testosterone.7 It is commonly used as part of the diagnosis of hypogonadism, which requires the presence of characteristic symptoms and signs in combination with low serum levels of testosterone.8-11
The AMS scale is also a valuable tool to measure effects of testosterone treatment on symptom relief over time.15,16
In addition, the AMS scale can help you to “break the ice” at you first doctor visit, as it specifically asks for symptoms that you would not otherwise spell out, but that have an important impact on your wellbeing and quality of life.
On the last page of the questionnaire you will get the option to print out your AMS score. We suggest you do, and bring it to your doctor.
For more information about the AMS questionnaire, and all its validated language versions, visit http://zeg-berlin.de/expertise/diagnostics-tools/ageing-male-symptoms-scale/about-ams-scale/
Disclaimer: This is for general information only and is not intended to replace a consultation with a healthcare professional, nor is it intended to provide specific medical advice and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.
Recommendations
References
- Dohle GR, Arver S, Bettocchi C, Jones TH, Kliesch S, Punab M. 2016 EAU Guidelines on Male Hypogonadism, available at http://uroweb.org/wp-content/uploads/EAU-Guidelines-Male-Hypogonadism-2016.pdf (accessed January 11, 2017). Return to content
- Dean JD, McMahon CG, Guay AT, et al. The International Society for Sexual Medicine's Process of Care for the Assessment and Management of Testosterone Deficiency in Adult Men. The journal of sexual medicine. 2015;12(8):1660-1686. Return to content
- Morales A, Bebb RA, Manjoo P, et al. Diagnosis and management of testosterone deficiency syndrome in men: clinical practice guideline. Appendix available at: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/suppl/2015/10/26/cmaj.150033.DC1/15-0033-1-at.pdf (accessed Jan 10, 2016). CMAJ. 2015;187(18):1369-1377. Return to content
- Bhasin S, Cunningham GR, Hayes FJ, et al. Testosterone therapy in men with androgen deficiency syndromes: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2010;95(6):2536-2559. Return to content
- Heinemann LA, Saad F, Zimmermann T, et al. The Ageing Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: update and compilation of international versions. Health and quality of life outcomes. 2003;1:15. Return to content
- Heinemann LAJ, Zimmermann T, Vermeulen A, Thiel. C. A new ‘Ageing Male’s Symptoms’ (AMS) rating scale. The ageing male : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of the Ageing Male. 1999;2:105–114. Return to content
- Daig I, Heinemann LA, Kim S, et al. The Ageing Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: review of its methodological characteristics. Health and quality of life outcomes. 2003;1:77. Return to content
- Lunenfeld B, Mskhalaya G, Zitzmann M, et al. Recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of hypogonadism in men. The ageing male : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of the Ageing Male. 2015;18(1):5-15. Return to content
- Dean JD, McMahon CG, Guay AT, et al. The International Society for Sexual Medicine's Process of Care for the Assessment and Management of Testosterone Deficiency in Adult Men. The journal of sexual medicine. 2015;12(8):1660-1686. Return to content
- Morales A, Bebb RA, Manjoo P, et al. Multidisciplinary Canadian Clinical Practice Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome in Adult Males. CMAJ. 2015. Return to content
- Zitzmann M, Faber S, Nieschlag E. Association of specific symptoms and metabolic risks with serum testosterone in older men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;91(11):4335-4343. Return to content
- Carruthers M. The paradox dividing testosterone deficiency symptoms and androgen assays: a closer look at the cellular and molecular mechanisms of androgen action. The journal of sexual medicine. 2008;5(4):998-1012. Return to content
- Collier CP, Morales A, Clark A, Lam M, Wynne-Edwards K, Black A. The significance of biological variation in the diagnosis of testosterone deficiency, and consideration of the relevance of total, free and bioavailable testosterone determinations. J. Urol. 2010;183(6):2294-2299. Return to content
- Morgentaler A, Khera M, Maggi M, Zitzmann M. Commentary: who is a candidate for testosterone therapy? A synthesis of international expert opinions. The journal of sexual medicine. 2014;11(7):1636-1645. Return to content
- Heinemann LA, Moore C, Dinger JC, Stoehr D. Sensitivity as outcome measure of androgen replacement: the AMS scale. Health and quality of life outcomes. 2006;4:23. Return to content
- Moore C, Huebler D, Zimmermann T, Heinemann LA, Saad F, Thai DM. The Ageing Males' Symptoms scale (AMS) as outcome measure for treatment of androgen deficiency. Eur. Urol. 2004;46(1):80-87. Return to content
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