Cardiac structure and function in anabolic-androgenic steroid users: a 16-year follow-up study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Limited long-term data exist on cardiac alterations in anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users.
• Understanding the cardiac consequences of AAS use is crucial for clinical practice and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term effects of AAS on cardiac structure and function.
• To compare cardiac outcomes between long-term AAS users and non-users.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study design with two time-point examinations.
• Echocardiography and coronary CT angiography used for cardiac assessment.
• Blood and urine analyses verified AAS use and non-use.

Main Results:

• AAS users exhibited increased left ventricular mass (LVM) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline compared to non-users.
• Continued AAS use was associated with persistently elevated LVM and impaired LVEF at follow-up.
• Discontinuation of AAS use led to improvements in LVM and LVEF, suggesting potential for cardiac recovery.

Conclusions:

• Long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use is linked to myocardial remodeling and left ventricular dysfunction.
• Cessation of AAS use during follow-up showed promising signs of improvement in cardiac structure and systolic function.