title: Gonadal hormone levels in injection drug users.
abstract: Levels of serum sex hormones, particularly testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, have been shown to change in various disease states. Hypogonadism has been well-documented in patients with HIV infection. As HIV infection and injection drug use are closely linked, we examined whether injection drug users (IDU's) exhibit hormone abnormalities. We evaluated men participating in the ALIVE study (AIDS Linked to Intravenous Experiences), a large cohort study conducted in Baltimore, MD. We found that 20% of 40 IDU subjects (20 HIV+, 20 HIV-) with a mean age 41.5+/-0.9, had low serum total testosterone concentration. We were unable to detect a direct correlation between drug use and hormone levels. Further study is needed on the hormonal milieu of the IDU patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21208, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wahlstrom
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cofrancesco
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dobs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone