title: Positive association between testosterone, blood pressure, and hypertension in women: longitudinal findings from the Study of Health in Pomerania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between sex hormones and blood pressure (BP) in women has been investigated mostly in cross-sectional studies yielding inconsistent results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 1428 women from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania were used. Associations of total testosterone, androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and free testosterone concentrations with BP and hypertension were analyzed in multivariable cross-sectional and longitudinal regression models in the full sample and stratified by menopausal status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive association between total testosterone and BP was revealed in the full sample [SBP: β per standard deviation (SD) increase: 3.22; pulse pressure (PP): β per SD increase: 2.30] and among postmenopausal women (DBP: β per SD increase: 3.33; SBP: β per SD increase: 7.11; PP: β per SD increase: 3.77). Longitudinal analyses also showed a positive association between baseline total testosterone and follow-up BP. Furthermore, low total testosterone concentrations were associated with a decreased risk of prevalent hypertension in all women [relative risk (RR) quartile 1 (Q1) vs. Q4, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.67-0.94]. Low SHBG was associated with prevalent hypertension in postmenopausal women (RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.06-1.53) and with incident hypertension in the full sample (RR 1.73; 95% CI 1.10-2.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present population-based study is the first to show a consistent positive association between total testosterone and BP in both, cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, suggesting high total testosterone as a risk marker of increased BP, as well as prevalent hypertension in women.
authors: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany.
authors: Benedict
authors: B
authors: Ziemens
authors: Henri
authors: H
authors: Wallaschofski
authors: Henry
authors: H
authors: Völzke
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Rettig
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Dörr
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Nauck
authors: Brian G
authors: BG
authors: Keevil
authors: Georg
authors: G
authors: Brabant
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Haring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione