Impact on lipoprotein profile after long-term testosterone replacement in hypogonadal men.
Testosterone serum levels may influence the lipoprotein metabolism and possibly atherogenic risk. Our aim was to investigate the effects of long-term testosterone supplementation in hypogonadal men on multiple lipoprotein markers. 18 Hypogonadal men were studied before and after 3, 6, and 18 (n = 7) months of treatment with testosterone enanthate. During treatment, serum testosterone and estradiol increased, reaching normal levels (p < 0.0001 and 0.003, respectively). This was associated with a decrease in HDL cholesterol (from 1.40 +/- 0.10 mmol/l to 1.22 +/- 0.08 mmol/l, p < 0.001) after six months at the expense of HDL2 cholesterol (p < 0.01), as well as apoprotein A1 (from 139 +/- 3.4 mg/dl to 126 +/- 3.0 mg/dl, p < 0.005). Hepatic lipase activity increased (p < 0.05) and correlated positively with testosterone (r = 0.56, p < 0.02) and negatively with HDL cholesterol (r = - 0.58, p < 0.02). Total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apoprotein B did not increase. Among the seven patients who completed 18 months of treatment, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, as well as total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio values did not differ from baseline while apoprotein A1 (p < 0.03) and HDL cholesterol (p < 0.015) remained decreased and hepatic lipase unchanged. Restoration of testosterone levels in hypogonadal men in this study did not reveal unfavorable changes based on total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol/apoprotein B ratios, which are both atherogenic risk markers. Whether the changes in light of lipoprotein metabolism will adversely influence cardiovascular risk over time remains to be determined.
Berg
G
G
Laboratorio de Lípidos y Lipoproteínas, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. gaberg@dbc.ffyb.uba.ar
Schreier
L
L
Geloso
G
G
Otero
P
P
Nagelberg
A
A
Levalle
O
O
D000328:Adult; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; C004648:testosterone enanthate; D008049:Lipase