Association between serum testosterone concentration and carotid atherosclerosis in men with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
There is evidence to suggest that low concentrations of testosterone are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum testosterone concentration and carotid atherosclerosis as well as major cardiovascular risk factors in men with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Serum free and total testosterone concentrations were measured in 253 consecutive men with type 2 diabetes. The relationships between serum testosterone concentration and carotid atherosclerosis, determined by ultrasonographically evaluated intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score (PS) in a subgroup of 154 diabetic patients, as well as major cardiovascular risk factors, including age, blood pressure, and lipid concentrations, were evaluated.


RESULTS
Inverse correlations were found between free testosterone (F-tes) concentration and IMT (r = -0.206, P = 0.0103) and between F-tes concentration and PS (r = -0.334, P < 0.001). The IMT and PS were significantly greater in patients with lower concentrations of F-tes (<10 pg/ml) than in patients with higher concentrations of F-tes (1.01 +/- 0.29 vs. 0.91 +/- 0.26 mm, P = 0.038; 4.5 +/- 3.8 vs. 2.4 +/- 3.2, P = 0.0003; respectively). An inverse correlation was found between serum F-tes concentration and age (r = -0.420, P < 0.0001). A positive correlation was found between serum F-tes and total cholesterol concentrations (r = 0.145, P = 0.0238).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum F-tes concentration is inversely associated with carotid atherosclerosis determined by ultrasonographically evaluated IMT and PS in men with type 2 diabetes.
Fukui
Michiaki
M
Department of Endocrinology and Hematology, Osaka General Hospital of West Japan Railway Company, Osaka, Japan. sayarinapm@hotmail.com
Kitagawa
Yoshihiro
Y
Nakamura
Naoto
N
Kadono
Mayuko
M
Mogami
Shinichi
S
Hirata
Chizuko
C
Ichio
Naoko
N
Wada
Katsuya
K
Hasegawa
Goji
G
Yoshikawa
Toshikazu
T
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015415:Biomarkers; D013739:Testosterone