[Effect of lower androgen levels on arteriosclerosis].

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the effect of lower androgen levels on risk factors for arteriosclerosis of men.

METHODS

In 30 cases of primary prostate carcinoma (stage A), serum levels of testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), prostatic specific antigen(PSA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apoprotein alpha 1 (APO alpha 1) and apoprotein beta(APO beta), insulin, plasma fibrinopeptide A (FPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1), fibrinogen were determined before and 1 week, 1,4,8 months after castration.

RESULTS

T, FT, PSA decreased significantly 1 week after castration, and kept on decreasing afterwards. DHEA and SHBG were not changed. TG, fasting insulin and glucose, 2-hour insulin and glucose elevated significantly 1 month after castration. TG, LDL-C, FPA and PAI-1 elevated 4 months after castration. Insulin sensitive index(ISI) decreased significantly 1 month after operation (-4.4 +/- 0.4 vs. -3.5 +/- 0.4, P < 0.01). HDL-C, APO alpha 1, APO beta and fibrinogen were not changed. There was a negative linear correlation between FT and TG, TC, LDL-C, PAI-1, FPA, fasting insulin and glucose, 2 h insulin and glucose, so did T.

CONCLUSION

Lower androgen levels have adverse effect on lipid metabolism, coagulative function and insulin sensitivity, which are related to arteriosclerosis of men.