Androgens are associated with hemostatic and inflammatory factors among women at the mid-life.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to relate annually measured endogenous androgens to hemostatic and inflammation markers in women longitudinally.


METHODS
A total of 3302 participants from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, aged 42-52 yr at baseline and self-identified as African-American (28%), Caucasian (47%), Chinese (8%), Hispanic (8%), or Japanese (9%) were evaluated for testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and SHBG at four time points in 5 yr. Cardiovascular disease markers were fibrinogen, activated factor VII-c, C-reactive protein (hsC-RP), and the fibrolytic factors, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), and tissue plasminogen activator [t(PA)].


RESULTS
T and free androgen index (FAI) were associated highly positively with PAI-1 and t(PA), and FAI was associated highly and positively with hsC-RP. Lower SHBG levels, associated with greater bioavailable T, were associated significantly with higher levels of PAI-1, t(PA), hsC-RP, and factor VII-c. SHBG was lower in Chinese and Japanese women markedly, resulting in FAI values that, on average, were higher among Chinese and Japanese women compared with African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic women.


CONCLUSIONS
There were strong, positive associations of androgens with fibrolytic and inflammation markers, even after considering age, body size, smoking, and race/ethnicity. It is important to study androgens, their precursors, and their carrier protein as part of the risk profile for heart disease in mid-aged women.
Sowers
MaryFran R
MR
University of Michigan, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, 339 East Liberty Street, Suite 310, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, USA. mfsowers@umich.edu
Jannausch
Mary
M
Randolph
John F
JF
McConnell
Daniel
D
Little
Roderick
R
Lasley
Bill
B
Pasternak
Richard
R
Sutton-Tyrrell
Kim
K
Matthews
Karen A
KA
D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis
D000728:Androgens; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D002097:C-Reactive Protein