Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Department of Vascular Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Sci Rep. 2022 Jun 11;12(1):9707. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-14065-5.
High-doses of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is efficient for building muscle mass, but pose a risk of cardiovascular side effects. Little is known of the effect of AAS on vasculature, but previous findings suggest unfavorable alterations in vessel walls and vasoreactivity. Here, long-term effect of AAS on vascular function and morphology were examined in male weightlifters, and in a mimicking animal model. Arterial elasticity and morphology were tested with ultrasound, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) in 56 current male AAS users, and 67 non-exposed weightlifting controls (WLC). Female mice were treated with testosterone for 14 days and echocardiography were applied to evaluate vascular function and morphology. Male AAS users had higher PWV (p = 0.044), reduced carotid artery compliance (p = 0.0005), and increased cIMT (p = 0.041) compared to WLC. Similar functional changes were found in the ascending aorta of mice after 7- (p = 0.043) and 14 days (p = 0.001) of testosterone treatment. This animal model can be used to map molecular mechanisms responsible for complications related to AAS misuse. Considering the age-independent stiffening of major arteries and the predictive power of an increase in PWV and cIMT, the long-term users of AAS are at increased risk of severe cardiovascular events.
高剂量的合成代谢雄激素类固醇（AAS）对于增加肌肉质量非常有效，但存在心血管副作用的风险。目前对于 AAS 对血管的影响知之甚少，但先前的研究结果表明，血管壁和血管反应性会发生不利变化。在这里，研究人员检查了长期使用 AAS 对男性举重运动员的血管功能和形态的影响，并在动物模型中进行了模拟。通过超声、脉搏波速度（PWV）和颈动脉内膜中层厚度（cIMT）测试了 56 名当前使用 AAS 的男性和 67 名未暴露的举重对照组（WLC）的动脉弹性和形态。用睾酮处理雌性小鼠 14 天，并应用超声心动图评估血管功能和形态。与 WLC 相比，AAS 使用者的 PWV 更高（p = 0.044），颈动脉顺应性降低（p = 0.0005），cIMT 增加（p = 0.041）。在经过 7 天（p = 0.043）和 14 天（p = 0.001）的睾酮治疗后，小鼠升主动脉也出现了类似的功能变化。该动物模型可用于绘制与 AAS 滥用相关并发症的分子机制图谱。考虑到大动脉的年龄独立僵硬以及 PWV 和 cIMT 增加的预测能力，长期使用 AAS 的人患严重心血管事件的风险增加。
