Elevated serum lipids in hypogonadal men with and without hyperprolactinemia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether men with hypogonadism are at risk for hyperlipidemia.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Neuroendocrine clinical center of a referral-based university medical center.


METHODS
Consecutive sample of 18 men with testosterone deficiency who had prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas, 15 men with acquired secondary hypogonadism and normal prolactin levels, and 33 normal male controls.


RESULTS
We found a significant elevation in fasting cholesterol (6.23 +/- 0.28 mmol/L [mean +/- SE] compared with 5.17 +/- 0.13 mmol/L [241 +/- 11 mg/dL compared with 200 +/- 5 mg/dL], P less than 0.01), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (4.11 +/- 0.23 mmol/L compared with 3.34 +/- 0.13 mmol/L [159 +/- 9 mg/dL compared with 129 +/- 5 mg/dL], P less than 0.05), and triglycerides (1.85 +/- 0.26 mmol/L compared with 1.11 +/- 0.07 mmol/L [164 +/- 23 mg/dL compared with 98 +/- 6 mg/dL], P less than 0.001) in men with hyperprolactinemia compared with controls. In the normoprolactinemic hypogonadal men, cholesterol (6.28 +/- 0.34 mmol/L [243 +/- 13 mg/dL], P less than 0.01), LDL cholesterol (4.34 +/- 0.34 mmol/L [168 +/- 13 mg/dL], P less than 0.01), and triglycerides (1.61 +/- 0.18 mmol/L [143 +/- 16 mg/dL], P less than 0.05) were also significantly higher than in the controls, and were the same as in the hyperprolactinemic men. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol did not differ among the three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypogonadism in men, with or without hyperprolactinemia, may be associated with elevation of fasting serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides compared with normal men. These data suggest that serum lipid levels should be evaluated in hypogonadal men. The presence of lipid abnormalities may affect the decision to treat testosterone deficiency in these patients.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
D S
DS
Oppenheim
S L
SL
Greenspan
N T
NT
Zervas
D A
DA
Schoenfeld
A
A
Klibanski
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol