title: Serum androgen concentrations and subclinical measures of cardiovascular disease in men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most of the observed associations of androgens and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) stem from selected study samples with immunoassay-based hormone measurements. Thus, we used a large population-based sample with total testosterone (TT) and androstenedione (ASD) concentrations measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 2140 individuals (mean age: 60,8 years) from the cohort Study of Health in Pomerania were assessed at baseline and 5-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multivariable regression models were implemented to assess cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of TT, free testosterone (fT), ASD, SHBG and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) with measures of subclinical CVD including intima media thickness (IMT), carotid plaques, left ventricular mass (LVM), fractional shortening (FS), relative wall thickness (RWT), and left ventricular geometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cross-sectional analyses yielded an association of TT with IMT in women (β-coefficient per log unit increase: 0.02; 95% CI: 0.007; 0.45) and ASD with FS in both sexes (men: β-coefficient: -2.94; 95% CI: -4.75; -1.12; women: β-coefficient: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.55; 2.73). In longitudinal analyses, DHEAS was positively associated with FS change (β-coefficient: 2.34; 95% CI: -0.59; 4.08). In women, SHBG was positively associated with incident plaques (Q1 vs. Q3 (Ref.): β-coefficient: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04; 1.74). In both sexes, longitudinal analyses showed no consistent association of TT with subclinical CVD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite several sex-specific associations of androgens and SHBG with subclinical CVD, the present representative study for the age group ≥45 years among men and women from the general population detected no consistent associations in longitudinal analyses.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Germany. Electronic address: kischeh@uni-greifswald.de.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kische
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany; Department of Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wallaschofski
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany; Institute for Community Medicine, Germany.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany; Department of Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dörr
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nauck
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Greifswald, Germany; Department of Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Germany; European University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Public Health, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haring
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D015415:Biomarkers; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione
keywords: Androgens; Epidemiology; Sex hormone-binding globulin; Subclinical cardiovascular disease