title: Low serum testosterone level was associated with extensive coronary artery calcification in elderly male patients with stable coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a pandemic condition in elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and associated with a worse prognosis. Although available data have shown an association between testosterone levels in men and CAD, the association between testosterone and CAC in elderly male patients with CAD remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 211 consecutive male patients (age ≥ 65 years) who underwent first multidetector computed tomography and following angiography were enrolled from our institution between March 2009 and September 2014. CAD was angiographically documented as significant stenoses (reduction ≥ 50% of the lumen diameter) on any major coronary vessel. The standard Agatston calcium score was calculated. The relationship of serum testosterone level with the CAC score measured by multidetector computed tomography in elderly male patients with stable CAD was evaluated. For data analyses, the CAC score was divided into four categories: ≤ 10, 11-99, 100-399, and ≥ 400, corresponding to minimal, moderate, increased, and extensive calcification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with higher CAC scores had significantly lower testosterone levels than patients with lower CAC scores (P = 0.048). In logistic regression analysis, testosterone level remained an independent predictor of extensive CAC (odds ratio 0.997, 95% confidence interval 0.994-0.999, P = 0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate an inverse association between testosterone level and the susceptibility to extensive CAC in elderly men with stable CAD.
authors.affiliation: Departments of aCardiology bRespiratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou cDepartment of Cardiology, Zhejiang University Affiliated Sanmen Hospital, Taizhou, China.
authors.forename: Jiangtao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Yuhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Tianming
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Shudong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013739:Testosterone