Elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in aging men with low testosterone.
OBJECTIVE
We examined baseline data from a lipid treatment study to assess the relationship between testosterone (T) and the cardiovascular inflammatory marker, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).


METHODS
The baseline T, hsCRP, lipid, glycemic, and anthropometric data were obtained from 467 men (mean age: 52 years). Inclusion criteria included low-density lipoprotein cholesterol > or = 3.4 to 4.9 mmol/l and triglycerides < or = 4.0 mmol/l. The baseline hsCRP levels were examined across the following T subgroups: <6.9 nmol/l (moderate to severe hypogonadism), 6.9 to <10.4 nmol/l (mild to moderate hypogonadism), 10.4 to <15 nmol/l (low-normal T), and > or = 15 nmol/l (normal T).


RESULTS
The median hsCRP levels were significantly (p = 0.041) different across the four T subgroups; patients in the lower T subgroups had higher median hsCRP levels than patients in the higher T subgroups. The percentage of men with elevated hsCRP (>2 mg/l) was also significantly (p = 0.038) different across the four T subgroups; 83% of men with T < 6.9 nmol/l had elevated hsCRP compared with 40% with T > or = 15 nmol/l.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between serum T and hsCRP in aging men. Urologists need to be aware that low T levels may not only adversely affect sexual function but also may worsen cardiovascular risk in aging, hypogonadal men.
Kaplan
Steven A
SA
Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. kaplans@med.cornell.edu <kaplans@med.cornell.edu>
Johnson-Levonas
Amy O
AO
Lin
Jianxin
J
Shah
Arvind K
AK
Meehan
Alan G
AG
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein