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Published on: August 13, 2019
Effects of transdermal testosterone on natriuretic peptide levels in women: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot
Eleanor Lin1, Elizabeth McCabe, Christopher Newton-Cheh
1Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Objective:
To investigate whether testosterone administration alters natriuretic peptide levels in women.
Design:
Three-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
Setting:
Clinical research center.
Patient(S):
Fifty-one women with hypoandrogenemia due to hypopituitarism.
Intervention(S):
Transdermal testosterone (300 microg daily) or placebo patch.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
N-Terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels.
Result(S):
NT-proBNP levels decreased in the transdermal testosterone group compared with placebo over three months. The difference between groups remained significant after controlling for baseline age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Change in NT-proBNP over 3 months was inversely associated with change in free testosterone levels.
Conclusion(S):
Testosterone administration to women results in decreased natriuretic peptide levels, suggesting that testosterone may be an inverse regulator of the natriuretic peptide system.
Clinical Trials Registration Number:
NCT00027430.
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