title: The association between androgen levels and premature coronary artery disease in men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between androgens and the risk of development of coronary artery disease has not been clarified well. This study was planned to determine the relationship between serum androgen levels and premature development of coronary artery disease in men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine men below 45 years of age with documented coronary artery disease (mean age 41.0+/-4.7) constituted the study group. Control group consisted of 56 men with similar age and normal coronary angiograms (mean age 41.3+/-3.8). Total and free testosterone, estradiol, and fasting plasma total, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured, and compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age, body mass index, and the frequency of hypertension were similar between the two groups; however, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and family history of coronary artery disease were more frequent in the coronary artery disease group. Total and free testosterone levels of the patients with coronary artery disease were significantly lower than those of controls, whereas estradiol levels did not differ. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that free testosterone levels (P=0.014; odds ratio=0.90; 95% confidence interval=0.87-0.99), hyperlipidemia (P<0.001; odds ratio=8.2; 95% confidence interval=3.17-21.0), and smoking (P=0.026; odds ratio=3.12; 95% confidence interval=1.15-8.48) were independent predictors of premature coronary artery disease. Moreover, using receiver operating characteristic analysis, patients with free testosterone levels below the cut-off value of 17.3 pg/ml had an adjusted 3.3-fold risk of developing premature coronary artery disease compared to those with free testosterone levels above the cut-off level (odds ratio=3.3; 95% confidence interval=1.57-6.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low level of free testosterone may be related to the development of premature coronary artery disease.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. sblturhan@yahoo.com
authors: Sibel
authors: S
authors: Turhan
authors: Cansin
authors: C
authors: Tulunay
authors: Sadi
authors: S
authors: Güleç
authors: Cağdaş
authors: C
authors: Ozdöl
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Kilickap
authors: Timuçin
authors: T
authors: Altin
authors: Menekşe
authors: M
authors: Gerede
authors: Cetin
authors: C
authors: Erol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol