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Androgen status in non-diabetic elderly men with heart failure

Goran Loncar1,2, Biljana Bozic3,4, Aleksandar N Neskovic2,5

  • 1a Department of Cardiology , Zvezdara University Medical Center , Belgrade , Serbia.

The Aging Male : the Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male
|July 12, 2017
PubMed

Insights

In elderly men with heart failure (HF), androgen status (serum testosterone and estimated free testosterone) is similar to healthy controls and not linked to long-term survival. Determinants include age, fat mass, and adiponectin levels.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cardiology
  • Geriatrics

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) is prevalent in elderly men, often associated with hormonal changes.
  • Androgen deficiency is common in aging men, but its role in non-diabetic HF patients is less understood.
  • Evaluating androgen status is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology and prognosis of HF in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess androgen status (serum testosterone [TT] and estimated free testosterone [eFT]) in non-diabetic elderly men with HF.
  • To identify determinants of androgen status, including body composition and adipokines.
  • To investigate the association between androgen status and long-term all-cause mortality in HF patients.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study of 73 non-diabetic men with HF and 20 healthy elderly men (age >55 years).
  • Measurements included echocardiography, 6-minute walk test, grip strength, DEXA body composition, and serum levels of TT, sex hormone-binding globulin, NT-proBNP, adiponectin, and leptin.
  • All-cause mortality was tracked for six years.

Main Results:

  • Androgen status (TT and eFT) was comparable between HF patients and healthy controls.
  • In HF patients, TT positively correlated with NT-proBNP and adiponectin, and inversely with fat mass.
  • Age, total fat mass, and adiponectin independently determined TT and eFT in HF patients. Androgen status did not predict 6-year mortality.

Conclusions:

  • Androgen status is not significantly altered in non-diabetic elderly men with heart failure.
  • The findings suggest that age, body composition, and adiponectin are key determinants of androgen levels in this population.
  • Androgen status does not appear to be a predictor of long-term survival in non-diabetic elderly men with HF.
Abstract

Keywords:
Testosteroneadipokinesbody compositionheart failuremensurvival

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