Reduced testosterone levels in males with lone atrial fibrillation.
BACKGROUND
Sex hormones play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Testosterone and estradiol have been reported to be down-regulated in subjects with coronary artery disease and heart failure, but has not been studied in atrial fibrillation (AF).


OBJECTIVE
Levels of sex hormones may be associated with susceptibility to lone AF in men.


METHODS
Fifty-eight male subjects who had electrocardiographic evidence of paroxysmal or chronic AF and a structurally normal heart on echocardiography were enrolled. Subjects were excluded if they had been taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), or statins within 3 mo or had a history of coronary artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, significant valvular disease, hyperthyroidism, or hypertension. Fifty-eight controls were recruited from a healthy outpatient population. Serum total testosterone and estradiol levels were determined using a commercially available radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
Mean levels of testosterone were significantly lower in subjects with lone AF when compared with controls (476 ng/dl versus 514 ng/dl, p = 0.005). No significant differences were found in the estradiol levels between the 2 groups (31.9 pg/ml versus 32.4 pg/ml, p = 0.789).


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced testosterone levels may be associated with susceptibility to lone AF in men.
Lai
Jiangtao
J
Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. shang.yp@163.com
Zhou
Dongchen
D
Xia
Shudong
S
Shang
Yunpeng
Y
Want
Lihong
L
Zheng
Liangrong
L
Zhu
Jianhua
J
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol