title: Relation between androgens and cardiovascular risk factors in a young population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between androgens and blood pressure, insulin resistance, lipid profile, adiponectin and hs-CRP in a young Middle-Eastern population has not been examined previously. We studied this relationship in a randomly selected population of Lebanese students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and sixty-eight subjects (201 men and 167 women) aged 18-30 years were included in the study. Anthropometric and biological parameters [waist circumference (WC), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total testosterone (TT), dehydroepiandrostenedione sulphate (DHEAS), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), adiponectin (ADP) and hs-CRP] were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, there were inverse associations of both TT and SHBG with body mass index (BMI), WC, HOMA-IR, triglycerides and hs-CRP. After adjustment for major confounders (BMI, WC, age and smoking), associations disappeared except for those between TT and hs-CRP, and for SHBG HOMA-IR, hs-CRP and triglycerides. In women, only SHBG was inversely associated with BMI, WC, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP and positively correlated with adiponectin. Except for the association between SHBG and adiponectin, these correlations disappeared after adjustment for confounders. Although DHEAS appeared to correlate negatively with blood pressure in men, this relationship disappeared after adjustment for confounders, while a relationship between DHEAS and triglycerides in women persisted after such adjustment. In multivariate regression analysis, SHBG was an independent predictor of hs-CRP, triglycerides and HOMA-IR in men and of adiponectin in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that SHBG is independently associated with HOMA-IR, adiponectin, hs-CRP and triglycerides. A gender difference in these associations is observed. Further studies are needed to elucidate these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon. mhcyared@terra.net.lb
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gannagé-Yared
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chedid
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol