Table 7.
Association Between Endogenous Testosterone Level and Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness
| Study Name | Sample Size | Sample Age Range | Major Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van den Beld et al126 (CS) | 403 Men | 73 to 94 (mean age, 77.8) | ● After adjustment for age, serum total testosterone was inversely related to carotid artery IMT. |
| Fukui et al127 (CS) | 154 Diabetic men | Mean age, 62 (age range not provided) | ● FT was inversely associated with carotid artery IMT. ● Free testosterone is inversely associated with carotid artery plaque score, ● Carotid IMT and plaque score were significantly higher in patients with lower levels of FT. |
| De Pergola et al128 (CS) | 127 Overweight or obese men | 18 to 45 (mean age, 34) | ● After adjustment for age, total body fat, central obesity, and fasting glucose concentration, carotid artery IMT was inversely associated with FT. |
| Makinen et al32 (CCS) | 96 Nondiabetic men | 40 to 70 (mean age, 57) | ● After adjustment for age, BMI, .blood pressure, smoking, and total cholesterol, TT was inversely associated with carotid IMT. |
| Svartberg et al129 (CS) | 1482 Men | 25 to 84 (mean age, 60) | ● After adjustment for age, smoking, physical activity, blood pressure, and lipid levels, TT was inversely associated with carotid IMT. ● The association between TT and carotid IMT was not independent of BMI. ● There was no association between FT and carotid IMT. |
| Fu et al130 (CCS) | 106 Men | 50 to 70 (mean age, 64) | ● FT was independently inversely associated with carotid IMT. |
| Vikan et al131 (CS) | 2290 Men | 55 to 74 (mean age, 66) | ● After adjustment for age, systolic BP, smoking, and use of lipid‐lowering medications, total testosterone was inversely associated with total carotid plaque area. ● SHBG was not associated with changes in carotid IMT or plaque area. |
| Muller et al132 (CS) | 195 Men | 73 to 91 (mean age, 77) | ● FT was inversely associated with mean progression of carotid IMT independent of age. ● FT was inversely associated with mean progression of carotid IMT after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors.* |
BMI indicates body mass index; BP, blood pressure; CCS, case–control study; CS, cross‐sectional study; FT, free testosterone; IMT, intima‐media thickness; SHBG, sex hormone–binding globulin; TT, total testosterone.
*
Cardiovascular risk factors included body mass index, waist‐to‐hip‐ratio, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and serum cholesterol levels.