Relationship between Endogenous Sex Hormone Levels, Lipoproteins and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Men Undergoing Coronary Angiography

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to investigate the relationship between endogenous sex steroid hormones and coronary artery disease (CAD). Three hundred and thirty-seven men undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Total testosterone, estradiol, free testosterone levels in men with CAD (n = 213) were compared to those of men without CAD (n = 124). No significant differences were found in the serum concentrations of estradiol, total and free testosterone and serum lipid profile between the two groups. Total and free testosterone were negatively (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) and estradiol was positively (p < 0.05) correlated with age in both groups. Total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein levels were positively correlated with the level of free testosterone (r = 0.221, p < 0.01; r = 0.173, p < 0.05, respectively), and high-density-lipoprotein levels were negatively correlated with total testosterone in patients with CAD (r = –0.166, p < 0.05). The results of this study do not support the role of sex steroid hormones in CAD. However, the relationship between sex steroids and serum lipids needs further clarification.

Evaluation of Androgen Levels in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

“…Helaly et al found that patients with ACS had lower values of fT in comparison to control group [8]. In contradiction with these studies, as evidenced in our study, there are many studies showing no correlation between CAD and testosterone level [9][10][11][12][13][14]. These different results may be due to differences of assay methods and testosterone types.…”

Adaptation to acute coronary syndrome-induced stress with lowering of testosterone: a possible survival factor

“…There is an inverse relationship between endogenous serum testosterone levels and coronary heart disease in males (8,11,12) although all studies cannot confirm this finding (6,13,14,15,16), and the direction of causality of the phenomenon remains unclear. Moreover, a decreased serum testosterone concentration has been shown to be associated with acute ischemic strokes, infarct size and mortality (17).…”

The benefits and risks of testosterone replacement therapy: a review

“…253 No consistent relationship between the levels of free or total testosterone and coronary atherosclerosis in men undergoing coronary angiography has been observed. 151,254 Testosterone-replacement therapy does not increase the incidence of cardiovascular disease or events such as myocardial infarction, stroke, or angina. 88 A meta-analysis 255 in 2007 concluded that the current available evidence shows no association between testosterone replacement therapy and cardiac events.…”