Association between Androgenic Hormone Levels and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.
BACKGROUND
Androgens have been shown to have diverse effects on the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to compare androgenic hormone levels in patients with different left ventricular ejection fractions (EF).


METHODS
The study population consisted of 515 consecutive men who were referred for angiographic studies and whose results of echocardiography and coronary angiography were available. The patients were classified into four groups: EF < 35%, EF = 35-45%, EF = 45-54%, and EF ≥ 55% to evaluate the trends of baseline characteristics and serum androgens, including free testosterone (fT), total testosterone (tT), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). To better elucidate the difference in the patients with severe heart failure, the patients were divided into two groups according to their EF level, and comparisons were repeated between those with EF < 35% and the ones with EF ≥ 35%.


RESULTS
There were statistically significant trends in some characteristics in the patients with different levels of EF. The subjects with higher EF levels were less likely to have diabetes (p value < 0.001), coronary artery lesion (p value < 0.001), or high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (p value < 0.001). As regards the patients with severe heart failure, our regression analysis revealed that the fT level was significantly lower in those with EF < 35% than in the ones with EF ≥ 35% (5.82 ± 2.73 pg/mL vs. 6.88 ± 3.34 pg/mL, p value < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A significant association was found between the level of fT and EF < 35%. There is a need for further controlled prospective studies to delineate any possible causal relationship accurately.
Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Gholamreza
G
Davoodi
Alireza
A
Amirzadegan
Mohammad Ali
MA
Boroumand
Maria Raissi
MR
Dehkordi
Ali Kazemi
AK
Saeid
Ahmad Yamini
AY
Sharif
Mehrnaz
M
Rezvanfard
Maryam Sotoudeh
MS
Anvari