Group items tagged

The RRs were 0.95 (0.54, 1.67) under 55 years

1.35 (0.77, 2.38) at 55–59

1.29 (0.71, 2.35) at 60–64,

1.35 (0.44, 4.18) at 65–69, 1.62

3.43 (1.54, 7.66) at 75 years and older

The adjusted post/pre RR for PDE5I across all ages was 1.08

For TT prescription, in men under age 65 years, the RR was 2.90 (1.49, 5.62) for those with a history of heart disease and 0.90 (0.61, 1.34) for those without

In men aged 65 year and older, the RR was 2.16 (0.92, 5.10) for those with a history of heart disease and 2.21 (1.09, 4.45) for those without.

Among men aged 65 years and older, we observed a two-fold increase in the risk of MI in the 90 days after filling an initial TT prescription

Among younger men with a history of heart disease, we observed a two to three-fold increased risk of MI in the 90 days following an initial TT prescription and no excess risk in younger men without such a history

Among older men, the two-fold increased risk was associated with TT prescription regardless of cardiovascular disease history

our own findings appear consistent with a higher frequency of thrombotic events following TT prescription among men with more extensive coronary vascular disease.

Our findings are consistent with a recent meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized trials of testosterone therapy lasting 12 or more weeks among mainly older men, which reported that testosterone therapy increased the risk of adverse cardiovascular-related events (OR = 1.54, 95%CI:1.09, 2.18), as well as serious adverse cardiovascular-related events (OR = 1.61, 95%CI:1.01, 2.56) which included myocardial infarction along with other conditions

This association appeared unrelated to average baseline testosterone level (p = 0.70) but varied by source of funding (p = 0.03), with a stronger summary effect in a meta-analysis of studies not funded by the pharmaceutical industry (OR = 2.06, 95%CI:1.34, 3.17) compared with studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry

the evidence supports an association between testosterone therapy and risk of serious, adverse cardiovascular-related events–including non-fatal myocardial infarction–in men

there is some evidence that low endogenous testosterone levels may also be positively associated with cardiovascular events

effects of endogenous and exogenous testosterone may differ. Exogenous testosterone (TT) is associated with physiologic changes that predispose to clotting and thrombotic disorders including increased blood pressure [18], polycythemia [19], reductions in HDL cholesterol [18], [20], and hyperviscosity of the blood and platelet aggregation. [20]–[23]; TT also increases circulating estrogens [24], [25] which may play a role in the observed excess of adverse cardiovascular-related events, given that estrogen therapy has been associated with this excess in both men and women

did not include information on the serologic or diagnostic indications for treatment.

no association between PDE5I prescriptions and the risk of MI

Recently TT has been increasing extraordinarily rapidly, including among younger men and among those without hormone measurement

testosterone therapy causes a shift in the skeletal muscle of CHF patients toward a higher concentration of type I muscle fibers

Testosterone replacement therapy has also been shown to improve the homeostatic model of insulin resistance and hemoglobin A1c in diabetics26,68–69 and to lower the BMI in obese patients.

Lower levels of endogenous testosterone have been associated with longer duration of the QTc interval

testosterone replacement has been shown to shorten the QTc interval

negative correlation has been demonstrated between endogenous testosterone levels and IMT of the carotid arteries, abdominal aorta, and thoracic aorta

These findings suggest that men with lower levels of endogenous testosterone may be at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Current guidelines from the Endocrine Society make no recommendations on whether patients with heart disease should be screened for hypogonadism and do not recommend supplementing patients with heart disease to improve survival.

The Massachusetts Male Aging Study also projects ≈481 000 new cases of hypogonadism annually in US men within the same age group

since 1993 prescriptions for testosterone, regardless of the formulation, have increased nearly 500%

Testosterone levels are lower in patients with chronic illnesses such as end‐stage renal disease, human immunodeficiency virus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity, and several genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome

A growing body of evidence suggests that men with lower levels of endogenous testosterone are more prone to develop CAD during their lifetimes

There are 2 major potential confounding factors that the older studies generally failed to account for. These factors are the subfraction of testosterone used to perform the analysis and the method used to account for subclinical CAD.

The biologically inactive form of testosterone is tightly bound to SHBG and is therefore unable to bind to androgen receptors

The biologically inactive fraction of testosterone comprises nearly 68% of the total testosterone in human serum

The biologically active subfraction of testosterone, also referred to as bioavailable testosterone, is either loosely bound to albumin or circulates freely in the blood, the latter referred to as free testosterone

It is estimated that ≈30% of total serum testosterone is bound to albumin, whereas the remaining 1% to 3% circulates as free testosterone

it can be argued that using the biologically active form of testosterone to evaluate the association with CAD will produce the most reliable results

English et al14 found statistically significant lower levels of bioavailable testosterone, free testosterone, and free androgen index in patients with catheterization‐proven CAD compared with controls with normal coronary arteries

patients with catheterization‐proven CAD had statistically significant lower levels of bioavailable testosterone

In conclusion, existing evidence suggests that men with CAD have lower levels of endogenous testosterone,13–18 and more specifically lower levels of bioavailable testosterone

low testosterone levels are associated with risk factors for CAD such as T2DM25–26 and obesity

In a meta‐analysis of these 7 population‐based studies, Araujo et al41 showed a trend toward increased cardiovascular mortality associated with lower levels of total testosterone, but statistical significance was not achieved (RR, 1.25

the authors showed that a decrease of 2.1 standard deviations in levels of total testosterone was associated with a 25% increase in the risk of cardiovascular mortality

the relative risk of all‐cause mortality in men with lower levels of total testosterone was calculated to be 1.35

higher risk of cardiovascular mortality is associated with lower levels of bioavailable testosterone

Existing evidence seems to suggest that lower levels of endogenous testosterone are associated with higher rates of all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality

studies have shown that lower levels of endogenous bioavailable testosterone are associated with higher rates of all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality

It may be possible that using bioavailable testosterone to perform mortality analysis will yield more accurate results because it prevents the biologically inactive subfraction of testosterone from playing a potential confounding role in the analysis

The earliest published material on this matter dates to the late 1930s

the concept that testosterone replacement therapy improves angina has yet to be proven wrong

In more recent studies, 3 randomized, placebo‐controlled trials demonstrated that administration of testosterone improves myocardial ischemia in men with CAD

The improvement in myocardial ischemia was shown to occur in response to both acute and chronic testosterone therapy and seemed to be independent of whether an intravenous or transdermal formulation of testosterone was used.

testosterone had no effect on endothelial nitric oxide activity

There is growing evidence from in vivo animal models and in vitro models that testosterone induces coronary vasodilation by modulating the activity of ion channels, such as potassium and calcium channels, on the surface of vascular smooth muscle cells

Experimental studies suggest that the most likely mechanism of action for testosterone on vascular smooth muscle cells is via modulation of action of non‐ATP‐sensitive potassium ion channels, calcium‐activated potassium ion channels, voltage‐sensitive potassium ion channels, and finally L‐type calcium ion channels

Corona et al confirmed those results by demonstrating that not only total testosterone levels are lower among diabetics, but also the levels of free testosterone and SHBG are lower in diabetic patients

Laaksonen et al65 followed 702 Finnish men for 11 years and demonstrated that men in the lowest quartile of total testosterone, free testosterone, and SHBG were more likely to develop T2DM and metabolic syndrome.

Vikan et al followed 1454 Swedish men for 11 years and discovered that men in the highest quartile of total testosterone were significantly less likely to develop T2DM

authors demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the incidence of T2DM in subjects receiving gonadotropin‐releasing hormone antagonist therapy. In addition, a significant increase in the rate of myocardial infarction, stroke, sudden cardiac death, and development of cardiovascular disease was noted in patients receiving antiandrogen therapy.67

Several authors have demonstrated that the administration of testosterone in diabetic men improves the homeostatic model of insulin resistance, hemoglobin A1c, and fasting plasma glucose

Existing evidence strongly suggests that the levels of total and free testosterone are lower among diabetic patients compared with those in nondiabetics

insulin seems to be acting as a stimulant for the hypothalamus to secret gonadotropin‐releasing hormone, which consequently results in increased testosterone production. It can be argued that decreased stimulation of the hypothalamus in diabetics secondary to insulin deficiency could result in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

BMI has been shown to be inversely associated with testosterone levels

This interaction may be a result of the promotion of lipolysis in abdominal adipose tissue by testosterone, which may in turn cause reduced abdominal adiposity. On the other hand, given that adipose tissue has a higher concentration of the enzyme aromatase, it could be that increased adipose tissue results in more testosterone being converted to estrogen, thereby causing hypogonadism. Third, increased abdominal obesity may cause reduced testosterone secretion by negatively affecting the hypothalamus‐pituitary‐testicular axis. Finally, testosterone may be the key factor in activating the enzyme 11‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in adipose tissue, which transforms glucocorticoids into their inactive form.

increasing age may alter the association between testosterone and CRP. Another possible explanation for the association between testosterone level and CRP is central obesity and waist circumference

Bai et al have provided convincing evidence that testosterone might be able to shorten the QTc interval by augmenting the activity of slowly activating delayed rectifier potassium channels while simultaneously slowing the activity of L‐type calcium channels

consistent evidence that supplemental testosterone shortens the QTc interval.

Intima‐media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery is considered a marker for preclinical atherosclerosis

Studies have shown that levels of endogenous testosterone are inversely associated with IMT of the carotid artery,126–128,32,129–130 as well as both the thoracic134 and the abdominal aorta

1 study has demonstrated that lower levels of free testosterone are associated with accelerated progression of carotid artery IMT

another study has reported that decreased levels of total and bioavailable testosterone are associated with progression of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta

These findings suggest that normal physiologic testosterone levels may help to protect men from the development of atherosclerosis

Czesla et al successfully demonstrated that the muscle specimens that were exposed to metenolone had a significant shift in their composition toward type I muscle fibers

Type I muscle fibers, also known as slow‐twitch or oxidative fibers, are associated with enhanced strength and physical capability

It has been shown that those with advanced CHF have a higher percentage of type II muscle fibers, based on muscle biopsy

Studies have shown that men with CHF suffer from reduced levels of total and free testosterone.137 It has also been shown that reduced testosterone levels in men with CHF portends a poor prognosis and is associated with increased CHF mortality.138 Reduced testosterone has also been shown to correlate negatively with exercise capacity in CHF patients.

Testosterone replacement therapy has been shown to significantly improve exercise capacity, without affecting LVEF

the results of the 3 meta‐analyses seem to indicate that testosterone replacement therapy does not cause an increase in the rate of adverse cardiovascular events

Data from 3 meta‐analyses seem to contradict the commonly held belief that testosterone administration may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer

One meta‐analysis reported an increase in all prostate‐related adverse events with testosterone administration.146 However, when each prostate‐related event, including prostate cancer and a rise in PSA, was analyzed separately, no differences were observed between the testosterone group and the placebo group

the existing data from the 3 meta‐analyses seem to indicate that testosterone replacement therapy does not increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events

the authors correctly point out the weaknesses of their study which include retrospective study design and lack of randomization, small sample size at extremes of follow‐up, lack of outcome validation by chart review and poor generalizability of the results given that only male veterans with CAD were included in this study

the studies that failed to find an association between testosterone and CRP used an older population group

low testosterone may influence the severity of CAD by adversely affecting the mediators of the inflammatory response such as high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, and tumor necrosis factor–α

Animal studies have consistently demonstrated that testosterone is atheroprotective, whereas testosterone deficiency promotes the early stages of atherogenesis

there is no compelling evidence that testosterone replacement to levels within the normal healthy range contributes adversely to the pathogenesis of CVD (Carson & Rosano 2011) or prostate cancer (Morgentaler & Schulman 2009)

bidirectional effect between decreased testosterone concentrations and disease pathology exists as concomitant cardiovascular risk factors (including inflammation, obesity and insulin resistance) are known to reduce testosterone levels and that testosterone confers beneficial effects on these cardiovascular risk factors

Achieving a normal physiological testosterone concentration through the administration of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been shown to improve risk factors for atherosclerosis including reducing central adiposity and insulin resistance and improving lipid profiles (in particular, lowering cholesterol), clotting and inflammatory profiles and vascular function

It is well known that impaired erectile function and CVD are closely related in that ED can be the first clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis often preceding a cardiovascular event by 3–5 years

no decrease in the response (i.e. no tachyphylaxis) of testosterone and that patient benefit persists in the long term.

free testosterone levels within the physiological range, has been shown to result in a marked increase in both flow- and nitroglycerin-mediated brachial artery vasodilation in men with CAD

Clinical studies, however, have revealed either small reductions of 2–3 mm in diastolic pressure or no significant effects when testosterone is replaced within normal physiological limits in humans

Endothelium-independent mechanisms of testosterone are considered to occur primarily via the inhibition of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels (VOCCs) and/or activation of K+ channels (KCs) on smooth muscle cells (SMCs)

Testosterone shares the same molecular binding site as nifedipine

Testosterone increases the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and enhances nitric oxide (NO) production

Testosterone also inhibited the Ca2+ influx response to PGF2α

one of the major actions of testosterone is on NO and its signalling pathways

In addition to direct effects on NOS expression, testosterone may also affect phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5 (PDE5A)) gene expression, an enzyme controlling the degradation of cGMP, which acts as a vasodilatory second messenger

the significance of the action of testosterone on VSMC apoptosis and proliferation in atherosclerosis is difficult to delineate and may be dependent upon the stage of plaque development

Several human studies have shown that carotid IMT (CIMT) and aortic calcification negatively correlate with serum testosterone

t long-term testosterone treatment reduced CIMT in men with low testosterone levels and angina

neither intracellular nor membrane-associated ARs are required for the rapid vasodilator effect

acute responses appear to be AR independent, long-term AR-mediated effects on the vasculature have also been described, primarily in the context of vascular tone regulation via the modulation of gene transcription

Testosterone and DHT increased the expression of eNOS in HUVECs

oestrogens have been shown to activate eNOS and stimulate NO production in an ERα-dependent manner

Several studies, however, have demonstrated that the vasodilatory actions of testosterone are not reduced by aromatase inhibition

non-aromatisable DHT elicited similar vasodilation to testosterone treatment in arterial smooth muscle

increased endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression and phosphorylation were observed in testosterone- and DHT-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Androgen deprivation leads to a reduction in neuronal NOS expression associated with a decrease of intracavernosal pressure in penile arteries during erection, an effect that is promptly reversed by androgen replacement therapy

Observational evidence suggests that several pro-inflammatory cytokines (including interleukin 1β (IL1β), IL6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), and highly sensitive CRP) and serum testosterone levels are inversely associated in patients with CAD, T2DM and/or hypogonadism

patients with the highest IL1β concentrations had lower endogenous testosterone levels

TRT has been reported to significantly reduce TNFα and elevate the circulating anti-inflammatory IL10 in hypogonadal men with CVD

testosterone treatment to normalise levels in hypogonadal men with the MetS resulted in a significant reduction in the circulating CRP, IL1β and TNFα, with a trend towards lower IL6 compared with placebo

parenteral testosterone undecanoate, CRP decreased significantly in hypogonadal elderly men

Higher levels of serum adiponectin have been shown to lower cardiovascular risk

Research suggests that the expression of VCAM-1, as induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα or interferon γ (IFNγ (IFNG)) in endothelial cells, can be attenuated by treatment with testosterone

Testosterone also inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL6, IL1β and TNFα in a range of cell types including human endothelial cells

decreased inflammatory response to TNFα and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human endothelial cells when treated with DHT

The key to unravelling the link between testosterone and its role in atherosclerosis may lay in the understanding of testosterone signalling and the cross-talk between receptors and intracellular events that result in pro- and/or anti-inflammatory actions in athero-sensitive cells.

testosterone functions through the AR to modulate adhesion molecule expression

pre-treatment with DHT reduced the cytokine-stimulated inflammatory response

DHT inhibited NFκB activation

DHT could inhibit an LPS-induced upregulation of MCP1

Both NFκB and AR act at the transcriptional level and have been experimentally found to be antagonistic to each other

As the AR and NFκB are mutual antagonists, their interaction and influence on functions can be bidirectional, with inflammatory agents that activate NFκB interfering with normal androgen signalling as well as the AR interrupting NFκB inflammatory transcription

prolonged exposure of vascular cells to the inflammatory activation of NFκB associated with atherosclerosis may reduce or alter any potentially protective effects of testosterone

DHT and IFNγ also modulate each other's signalling through interaction at the transcriptional level, suggesting that androgens down-regulate IFN-induced genes

(Simoncini et al. 2000a,b). Norata et al. (2010) suggest that part of the testosterone-mediated atheroprotective effects could depend on ER activation mediated by the testosterone/DHT 3β-derivative, 3β-Adiol

TNFα-induced induction of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin as well as MCP1 and IL6 was significantly reduced by a pre-incubation with 3β-Adiol in HUVECs

3β-Adiol also reduced LPS-induced gene expression of IL6, TNFα, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2 (PTGS2)), CD40, CX3CR1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, MMP9, resistin, pentraxin-3 and MCP1 in the monocytic cell line U937 (Norata et al. 2010)

This study suggests that testosterone metabolites, other than those generated through aromatisation, could exert anti-inflammatory effects that are mediated by ER activation.

The authors suggest that DHT differentially effects COX2 levels under physiological and pathophysiological conditions in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells and via AR-dependent and -independent mechanisms influenced by the physiological state of the cell

There are, however, a number of systematic meta-analyses of clinical trials of TRT that have not demonstrated an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events or mortality

The TOM trial, which was designed to investigate the effect of TRT on frailty in elderly men, was terminated prematurely as a result of an increased incidence of cardiovascular-related events after 6 months in the treatment arm

trials of TRT in men with either chronic stable angina or chronic cardiac failure have also found no increase in either cardiovascular events or mortality in studies up to 12 months

Evidence may therefore suggest that low testosterone levels and testosterone levels above the normal range have an adverse effect on CVD, whereas testosterone levels titrated to within the mid- to upper-normal range have at least a neutral effect or, taking into account the knowledge of the beneficial effects of testosterone on a series of cardiovascular risk factors, there may possibly be a cardioprotective action

The effect of testosterone on human vascular function is a complex issue and may be dependent upon the underlying androgen and/or disease status.

the majority of studies suggest that testosterone may display both acute and chronic vasodilatory effects upon various vascular beds at both physiological and supraphysiological concentrations and via endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Researchers tried to examine whether serum total or free testosterone would be a better/more reliable choice when studying the effect of testosterone. The results were mixed. Some reported significant associations of both serum total and free testosterone level with clinical parameters25, whereas others reported that only serum free testosterone26 or only serum total testosterone6 showed significant associations.

−0.124 nmol/L/year in serum total testosterone

In experimental studies, androgen receptor knockout mice developed significant insulin resistance rapidly

In mouse models, testosterone promoted differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to the myogenic lineage

testosterone decreased insulin resistance by enhancing catecholamine induced lipolysis in vitro, and reducing lipoprotein lipase activity and triglyceride uptake in human abdominal tissue in vivo

by promoting lipolysis and myogenesis, testosterone might lead to improved insulin resistance

testosterone regulated skeletal muscle genes involved in glucose metabolism that led to decreased systemic insulin resistance

In the liver, hepatic androgen receptor signaling inhibited development of insulin resistance in mice

independent and inverse association of testosterone with hepatic steatosis shown in a cross-sectional study carried out in humans

In short, androgen improves insulin resistance by changing body composition and reducing body fat.

Although a low serum testosterone level could contribute to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes through changes in body composition, obesity might also alter the metabolism of testosterone

In obese men, the peripheral conversion from testosterone to estrogen could attenuate the amplitude of luteinizing hormone pulses and centrally inhibit testosterone production

leptin, an adipokine, has been shown to be inversely correlated with serum testosterone level in men

Leydig cells expressed leptin receptors and leptin has been shown to inhibit testosterone secretion, suggesting a role of obesity and leptin in the pathogenesis of low testosterone

Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) cohort made up of 3,565 middle-class, mostly Caucasian men from the USA, the incidence of low serum total testosterone increased from approximately 20% of men aged over 60 years, 30% over 70 years, to 50% over 80 years-of-age

30–44% sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)-bound testosterone and 54–68% albumin-bound testosterone

As the binding of testosterone to albumin is non-specific and therefore not tight, the sum of free and albumin-bound testosterone is named bioavailable testosterone, which reflects the hormone available at the cellular level

Serum total testosterone is composed of 0.5–3.0% of free testosterone unbound to plasma proteins

alterations in SHBG concentration might affect total serum testosterone level without altering free or bioavailable testosterone

listed in Table​T

A significant, independent and longitudinal effect of age on testosterone has been observed with an average change of −0.124 nmol/L/year in serum total testosterone28. The same trend has been shown in Europe and Australia

Asian men residing in HK and Japan, but not those living in the USA, had 20% higher serum total testosterone than in Caucasians living in the USA, as shown in a large multinational observational prospective cohort of the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study

subjects with chronic diseases consistently had a 10–15% lower level compared with age-matched healthy subjects

In Caucasians, the mean serum total testosterone level for men in large epidemiological studies has been reported to range from 15.1 to 16.6 nmol/L

Asians, higher values, ranging from 18.1 to 19.1 nmol/L, were seen in Korea and Japan

Chinese middle-aged men reported a similar mean serum testosterone level of 17.1 nmol/L in 179 men who had a family history of type 2 diabetes and 17.8 nmol/L in 128 men who had no family history of type 2 diabetes

The reduction of total testosterone was 0.4% per year in both groups

HK involving a cohort of 1,489 community-dwelling men with a mean age of 72 years, a mean serum total testosterone of 19.0 nmol/L was reported

pro-inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α in the testes, could locally inhibit testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells47, and testosterone treatment in men was shown to reduce the level of tumor necrosis factor-α

In Asians, a genetic deletion polymorphism of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase UGT2B17 was associated with reduced androgen glucuronidation. This resulted in higher level of active androgen in Asians as compared to Caucasians, as Caucasians' androgen would be glucuronidated into inactive forms faster.

Compared with Caucasians, the frequency of this deletion polymorphism of UGT2B17 was 22-fold higher in Asian subjects

Other researchers have suggested that environmental, but not genetic, factors influenced serum total testosterone

The basal and ligand-induced activity of the AR is inversely associated with the length of the CAG repeat chain

In the European Male Aging Study, increased estrogen/androgen ratio in association with longer AR CAG repeat was observed

a smaller number of AR CAG repeat had been shown to be associated with benign prostate hypertrophy and faster prostate growth during testosterone treatment

In India, men with CAG ≤19 had increased risk of prostate cancer

the odds of having a short CAG repeat (≤17) were substantially higher in patients with lymph node-positive prostate cancer than in those with lymph node-negative disease or in the general population

assessing the polymorphism at the AR level could be a potential tool towards individualized assessment and treatment of hypogonadism.

In elderly men, there was reduced testicular response to gonadotropins with suppressed and altered pulsatility of the hypothalamic pulse generator

a significant, independent and longitudinal effect of age on serum total testosterone level had been observed

A significant graded inverse association between serum testosterone level and insulin levels independent of age has also been reported in Caucasian men

Low testosterone is commonly associated with a high prevalence of MES

most studies showed that changes in serum testosterone level led to changes in body composition, insulin resistance and the presence of MES, the reverse might also be possible

MES predicted a 2.6-fold increased risk of development of low serum testosterone level independent of age, smoking and other potential confounders

Other prospective studies have shown that development of MES accelerated the age-related decline in serum testosterone level

In men with type 2 diabetes, changes in serum testosterone level over time correlated inversely with changes in insulin resistance

weight loss by either diet control or bariatric surgery led to a substantial increase in total testosterone, especially in morbidly obese men, and the rise in serum testosterone level was proportional to the amount of weight lost

To date, published clinical trials are small, of short duration and often used pharmacological, not physiological, doses of testosterone

In the population-based Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study cohort from Sweden, men in the highest quartile of serum testosterone level had the lowest risk of cardiovascular events compared with men in the other three quartiles (hazard ratio [HR] 0.70

low serum total testosterone was associated with a significant fourfold higher risk of cardiovascular events when comparing men from the lowest testosterone tertile with those in the highest tertile

Shores et al. were the first to report that low serum testosterone level, including both serum total and free testosterone, was associated with increased mortality

low serum total testosterone predicted increased risk of cardiovascular mortality with a HR of 1.38

low serum total testosterone increased all-cause (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.13–1.62, P < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.25

European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2013 suggested there was an inverse relationship between serum testosterone level and acute myocardial infarction

Diabetic men in the highest quartile of serum total testosterone had a significantly reduced risk of acute MI when compared with those in the lower quartiles

serum total testosterone level in the middle two quartiles at baseline predicted reduced incidence of death compared with having the highest and lowest levels

The Boston Area Community Health Study reported that 5.6% of men aged 30 to 70 were hypogonadal, as defined by total serum T < 300 ng/dL; or, free serum T < 5 ng/dL plus 3 or more symptoms of hypogonadism

In a health screening project among 819 men in Taiwan, the prevalence of hypogonadism (total serum T < 300 ng/dL) ranged from 16.5% for men in their 40s, 23.0% for men in their 50s, 28.9% for men in their 60s, and 37.2% for men older than 70 years of age

The prevalence of hypogonadism among men in Taiwan is higher than the prevalence reported in the Massachusetts Male Aging Study

CAG repeat sequence, within the androgen receptor (AR). Rajender et al[12] reviewed over 30 studies on the AR trinucleotide repeat and infertility

suggestion that CAG repeat length may determine androgen responsiveness, this issue is not clearly settled

reported prevalence of low T in older men range from 5.6% to 50%

Those in the hypogonadal group (n = 4269) had direct health care costs, that exceeded the eugonadal group (n = 4269) by an average of $7100 over the course of the observation window

higher economic burden and presence of co-morbidities for hypogonadism

minor to moderate improvements in lean mass and muscle strength

increased bone mineral density

modest enhancement in sexual function

reduced adiposity

lessening of depressive symptoms

Meta-analyses of clinical TRT trials as of 2010 have identified three major adverse events resulting from TRT: (1) polycythemia; (2) an increase in prostate-related events; and (3) and a slight reduction in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol

polycythemia (> 3.5-fold increase in risk

TRT produced a 40% prostate enlargement in older hypogonadal male Veterans over 12 mo

no published analysis has reported measurable increases in prostate cancer risk or Gleason score in men undergoing TRT, or in hypogonadal men with a history of prostate cancer undergoing TRT

the prostate which highly expresses the type II 5α-reductase enzyme. Inhibition of this enzyme via finasteride (a type II 5α-reductase inhibitor) or dutasteride (a dual type I and II 5α-reductase inhibitor) reduces circulating DHT 50%-75% and > 90%, respectively[47], and reduces prostate mass[48] and prostate cancer risk

Normally estradiol partially regulates testosterone levels, at the hypothalamus, blunting LH and FSH release from the pituitary. As a selective estrogen receptor modulator, CC interrupts this pathway, and consequently there is a greater stimulation for the production of testosterone in Leydig cells

the mortality rate of EOC has not been significantly changed for several decades

Sequencing revealed that almost all tumors (96%) had mutations in TP53, which serves as a major driver of this cancer

Low-prevalence but statistically significant mutations in nine other genes including NF1, BRCA1, BRCA2, RB1, and CDK12 were also identified, but the majority of genes were mutated at low frequency, making it difficult to distinguish between driver and passenger mutations

KPNB1 inhibition via any of three KPNB1 siRNAs or importazole treatment induced apoptosis in human EOC cell lines (Fig. 3 A–F and Fig. S4), and was accompanied by an increase in the expression levels of the proapoptotic proteins BAX and cleaved caspase-3

Stable overexpression of KPNB1 in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 (Fig. S6) significantly accelerated cell proliferation/survival (Fig. 5 A–C), confirming that KPNB1 functions as an oncogene in EOC

KPNB1 overexpression significantly decreased caspase-3/7 activity (Fig. 5D), in addition to the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 and BAX proteins (Fig. 5E). KPNB1 overexpression also decreased p21 and p27 protein levels (Fig. 5E), as opposed to their increase by KPNB1 inhibition

KPNB1 functions as an antiapoptotic and proproliferative oncogene in EOC.

Patients with higher expression levels of KPNB1 showed earlier recurrence and worse prognosis than those with lower expression levels of KPNB1

KPNB1 acts as an oncogene in human EOC and represents a promising therapeutic target.

ivermectin treatment suppressed cell proliferation/viability in a dose-dependent manner (Fig. 7A), indicating that it exerts an antitumor effect on EOC

ivermectin also induced apoptosis

ivermectin increased the expression levels of BAX, and cleaved PARP, as well as p21 and p27

KPNB1 inhibition is responsible for the antitumor effect of ivermectin

we found that ivermectin synergistically reduced cell proliferation/viability in combination with paclitaxel in human EOC cells

Single treatment of ivermectin or paclitaxel reduced tumor growth in nude mice, but, notably, combination treatment of ivermectin and paclitaxel almost completely suppressed tumor growth

ERBB2, is amplified and overexpressed in many cancers, including breast (31), ovary (31), colon (32), bladder (33), non-small-cell lung (34), and gastric cancer (35), and is a poor prognostic factor in certain cancer types

KPNB1 was the second-highest-ranked gene identified in our screen

Increased KPNB1 protein levels have been reported in several cancers, including cervical cancer (42), hepatocellular carcinoma (43), and glioma (44), suggesting KPNB1’s oncogenic potential in these tumor types

our findings suggest that KPNB1 might serve as a master regulator of cell cycle by regulating several cell cycle-related proteins, including p21, p27, and APC/C family members

higher and/or more-frequent doses of ivermectin than currently approved for humans are well tolerated in humans

none of the mice in this study treated with the effective dosage of ivermectin for in vivo anticancer therapy showed severe adverse event

we found that the combination of ivermectin and paclitaxel produces a stronger antitumor effect on EOC cell lines than either drug alone

more than 30 years of studies suggesting that low levels of T represent an increased risk for CV and overall mortality,

lower serum T concentrations also are associated with CV disease, including incident coronary artery disease [17],[18],[19] and atherosclerosis,

the actual rate of adverse events was only half as great in the T group (123 events in 1223 men at risk = 10.1%) as in the untreated group (1587 events in 7486 men = 21.2%)

The study by Vigen et al. [7] has already undergone two published corrections,

29 medical societies have called for retraction of the article, asserting "gross data mismanagement and contamination," that rendered the study "no longer credible

Mortality in T-treated men was reduced by approximately half in treated men compared with untreated men, at 10.3% versus 20.7%, respectively

The mortality rate for men who received TTh was 3.4 deaths per 100 person-years, and 5.7 deaths per 100 person-years in untreated men

HR of 0.61 (95%CI: 0.42-0.88; P = 0.008), indicating a significant reduction in mortality with TTh

men in the highest prognostic MI risk quartile, treatment with TTh was associated with reduced risk

tripling in T prescriptions in the US over the last decade

a majority of observational studies have found that low endogenous serum T levels are associated with increased mortality.

Men who received TTh were able to exercise significantly longer without ischemia compared with men who received placebo

In men with congestive heart failure, those who received T demonstrated greater walking distance and other functional endpoints compared with those who received placebo

TTh has been shown uniformly and repeatedly to improve several known CV risk factors, including reduced fat mass, body fat percent, and waist circumference, and increased lean mass

improved glycemic control

reductions in insulin resistance.

the evidence strongly points to improved CV status with normal serum T or treatment with TTh in men with TD

analysis of health insurance claims data that reported a 36% increased rate of nonfatal MI in the 90d following receipt of a T prescription compared with the 12 prior months.

Comparison with men who received a prescription for a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) revealed no increased rate of MI following the prescription

kisspeptin has emerged as one of the most potent secretagogues of GNRH release

Consistent with the hypothesis that obesity-mediated inhibition of kisspeptin signalling contributes to the suppression of the HPT axis, infusion of a bioactive kisspeptin fragment has been recently shown to robustly increase LH pulsatility, LH levels and circulating testosterone in hypotestosteronaemic men with type 2 diabetes

Figure 4

Interestingly, a recent 16-week study of experimentally induced hypogonadism in healthy men with graded testosterone add-back either with or without concomitant aromatase inhibitor treatment has in fact suggested that low oestradiol (but not low testosterone) may be responsible for the hypogonadism-associated increase in total body and intra-abdominal fat mass

A smaller study with a similar experimental design found that acute testosterone withdrawal reduced insulin sensitivity independent of body weight, whereas oestradiol withdrawal had no effects

Obesity and dysglycaemia and associated comorbidities such as obstructive sleep apnoea (Hoyos et al. 2012b) are important contributors to the suppression of the HPT axis

This is supported by observational studies showing that weight gain and development of diabetes accelerate the age-related decline in testosterone

Weight loss can reactivate the hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular axis

The hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular axis remains responsive to treatment with aromatase inhibitors or selective oestrogen receptor modulators in obese men

Kisspeptin treatment increases LH secretion, pulse frequency and circulating testosterone levels in hypotestosteronaemic men with type 2 diabetes

Several observational and randomised studies reviewed in Grossmann (2011) have shown that weight loss, whether by diet or surgery, leads to substantial increases in testosterone, especially in morbidly obese men

This suggests that weight loss can lead to genuine reactivation of the gonadal axis by reversal of obesity-associated hypothalamic suppression

There is pre-clinical and observational evidence that chronic hyperglycaemia can inhibit the HPT axis

in those men in whom glycaemic control worsened, testosterone decreased

successful weight loss combined with optimisation of glycaemic control may be sufficient to normalise circulating testosterone levels in the majority of such men

weight loss, optimisation of diabetic control and assiduous care of comorbidities should remain the first-line approach.

In part, the discrepant results may be due to the fact men in the Vigen cohort (Vigen et al. 2013) had a higher burden of comorbidities. Given that one (Basaria et al. 2010), but not all (Srinivas-Shankar et al. 2010), RCTs in men with a similarly high burden of comorbidities reported an increase in cardiovascular events in men randomised to testosterone treatment (see section on Testosterone therapy: potential risks below) (Basaria et al. 2010), testosterone should be used with caution in frail men with multiple comorbidities

The retrospective, non-randomised and non-blinded design of these studies (Shores et al. 2012, Muraleedharan et al. 2013, Vigen et al. 2013) leaves open the possibility for residual confounding and multiple other sources of bias. These have been elegantly summarised by Wu (2012).

Effects of testosterone therapy on body composition were metabolically favourable with modest decreases in fat mass and increases in lean body mass

This suggests that testosterone has limited effects on glucose metabolism in relatively healthy men with only mildly reduced testosterone.

it is conceivable that testosterone treatment may have more significant effects on glucose metabolism in uncontrolled diabetes, akin to what has generally been shown for conventional anti-diabetic medications.

the evidence from controlled studies show that testosterone therapy consistently reduces fat mass and increases lean body mass, but inconsistently decreases insulin resistance.

Interestingly, testosterone therapy does not consistently improve glucose metabolism despite a reduction in fat mass and an increase in lean mass

the majority of RCTs (recently reviewed in Ng Tang Fui et al. (2013a)) showed that testosterone therapy does not reduce visceral fat

testosterone therapy decreases SHBG

testosterone is inversely associated with total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride (Tg) levels, but positively associated with HDL cholesterol levels, even if adjusted for confounders

Although observational studies show a consistent association of low testosterone with adverse lipid profiles, whether testosterone therapy exerts beneficial effects on lipid profiles is less clear

Whereas testosterone-induced decreases in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and Lpa are expected to reduce cardiovascular risk, testosterone also decreases the levels of the cardio-protective HDL cholesterol. Therefore, the net effect of testosterone therapy on cardiovascular risk remains uncertain.

data have not shown evidence that testosterone causes prostate cancer, or that it makes subclinical prostate cancer grow

compared with otherwise healthy young men with organic androgen deficiency, there may be increased risks in older, obese men because of comorbidities and of decreased testosterone clearance

recent evidence that fat accumulation may be oestradiol-, rather than testosterone-dependent

the mechanisms for these effects remain speculative

It can be postulated that the beneficial effect of normal T levels on adipose tissue, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles or by its anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties, as reported by other investigators, might have contributed to our findings

off-label use of TRT remains a concern

Recent FDA analyses suggest that currently only half of the men on TRT had been diagnosed with hypogonadism

25% of users did not have their T concentrations tested prior to initiating therapy

21% of those prescribed TRT did not have their levels tested at any time during treatment

two very recent meta-analyses suggested a lack of convincing evidence posed by TRT.

men without a history of previous MI or stroke who have low TT levels, TRT might be associated with decreased risks of MI, ischaemic stroke, and all-cause mortality in long-term follow-up

TRT should aim for doses resulting in normalization of TT level as this was shown to be associated with reduction in adverse CV events