title: Beneficial effects of testosterone therapy on functional capacity, cardiovascular parameters, and quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to the present evidences suggesting association between low testosterone level and prediction of reduced exercise capacity as well as poor clinical outcome in patients with heart failure, we sought to determine if testosterone therapy improves clinical and cardiovascular conditions as well as quality of life status in patients with stable chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 male patients who suffered from congestive heart failure were recruited in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and randomized to receive an intramuscular (gluteal) long-acting androgen injection (1 mL of testosterone enanthate 250 mg/mL) once every four weeks for 12 weeks or receive intramuscular injections of saline (1 mL of 0.9% wt/vol NaCl) with the same protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The changes in body weight, hemodynamic parameters, and left ventricular dimensional echocardiographic indices were all comparable between the two groups. Regarding changes in diastolic functional state and using Tei index, this parameter was significantly improved. Unlike the group received placebo, those who received testosterone had a significant increasing trend in 6-walk mean distance (6MWD) parameter within the study period (P = 0.019). The discrepancy in the trends of changes in 6MWD between study groups remained significant after adjusting baseline variables (mean square = 243.262, F index = 4.402, and P = 0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study strengthens insights into the beneficial role of testosterone in improvement of functional capacity and quality of life in heart failure patients.
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirdamadi
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medicine Science, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garakyaraghi
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medicine Science, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourmoghaddas
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahmani
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medicine Science, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamideh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.affiliation: Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medicine Science, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gharipour
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010919:Placebos; D011788:Quality of Life; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D013739:Testosterone
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