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Published on: August 11, 2023
Lower testosterone levels predict incident stroke and transient ischemic attack in older men
Bu B Yeap1, Zoë Hyde, Osvaldo P Almeida
1School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. byeap@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|April 9, 2009
Summary
Lower total testosterone levels in older men significantly predict a higher incidence of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). This finding highlights testosterone as a potential risk factor for cerebrovascular events.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Neurology
Background:
- Lower testosterone is linked to cardiovascular issues like metabolic syndrome and arterial disease in men.
- The predictive role of testosterone levels for major cardiovascular events remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if reduced serum testosterone independently predicts symptomatic cerebrovascular events in elderly men.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study with a median follow-up of 3.5 years.
- Involved 3443 community-dwelling, stroke-free men aged 70 years and older.
- Measured baseline serum total testosterone, SHBG, LH, and calculated free testosterone; recorded incident stroke or TIA.
Main Results:
- Lower quartiles of total and free testosterone were associated with reduced event-free survival.
- After adjusting for multiple risk factors, low total testosterone (HR=1.99) and free testosterone (HR=1.69) independently predicted increased stroke or TIA incidence.
- SHBG and LH were not independently associated with stroke or TIA.
Conclusions:
- Low total testosterone levels predict a higher incidence of stroke or TIA in older men, even after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
- Men with low-normal testosterone levels exhibit an elevated risk for cerebrovascular events.
- Further research is needed to explore testosterone-raising interventions for preventing cerebrovascular disease.
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