title: Correlation between sex hormone levels and obesity in the elderly male.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of sex hormones and androgen receptor (AR) in elderly male patients and to explore a possible correlation with obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study included 314 Elderly males (age ≥ 65 year). Of these subjects, 104 were healthy (age range 65-92 year; mean 71.38 ± 5.154 year), 74 were obese (65-87 year; 71.32 ± 4.74 year), and 111 were overweight (65-85 year; 71.43 ± 5.03 year). The following parameters were measured: total testosterone (TT), free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and AR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) The levels of TT and SHBG in the obesity group were significantly lower than those in non-obese subjects. (ii) Body mass index (BMI) negatively correlated with TT and SHBG. (iii) Multiple regression analysis revealed that TT (β: -0.230; p = 0.045) and SHBG (β: -0.163; p = 0.02) were statistically correlated with BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testosterone levels in the obese population were significantly lower than in the non-obese population and there is a significant association between testosterone levels and the extent of obesity.
authors.affiliation: First Geriatric Cardiology Division, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China. calvin301@163.com
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Tian-meng
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bing-po
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000097:blood*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone