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Long-term effect of vasectomy on coronary heart disease
Insights
This study found no increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with vasectomy. Long-term follow-up confirmed vasectomy does not alter CHD risk in men.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Urology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Concerns exist regarding potential long-term health effects of vasectomy.
- Previous studies on vasectomy and coronary heart disease (CHD) have had shorter follow-up periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between vasectomy and the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD).
- To assess if the duration since vasectomy influences CHD risk.
Main Methods:
- A population of 4,944 men from a university-based exercise testing program was analyzed.
- Vasectomy status was determined via mail survey with telephone follow-up.
- Multivariate analysis controlled for known CHD risk factors such as family history, hypertension, and smoking.
Main Results:
- Vasectomy was not associated with an increased relative risk of CHD in the general study population.
- No increased CHD risk was observed when vasectomized men were stratified by time since vasectomy (mean 15 years).
- Serum antisperm-antibody titers did not predict CHD risk among vasectomized men.
Conclusions:
- Vasectomy is unassociated with an altered risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in humans.
- Findings support previous research, even with extended post-vasectomy observation periods.
Abstract:
We investigated the association between coronary heart disease (CHD) and vasectomy in a population of 10,632 men who were under surveillance for multiple CHD risk factors during participation in a university-based exercise testing program. We conducted a mail survey with telephone follow-up to determine the vasectomy status of individuals in the population. Responses were obtained from 6,159 individuals. The 4.944 males on whom information was complete enough to be included in the multivariate analysis comprised the study population. Among the 1,383 (28 per cent) vasectomized males in the study populations, the interval from vasectomy to the time of the survey ranged from less than one year to 37 years with a mean duration of 15 years. Although increased relative risks for CHD were found to be associated with family history of CHD, high blood pressure and smoking in this population, the relative risk of CHD associated with vasectomy was not increased in general, nor was it increased when the vasectomized males were classified by time since vasectomy. Likewise, serum antisperm-antibody titers were not predictive of CHD among vasectomized men. These studies support the findings from previous investigations of populations with shorter average post-vasectomy experience in which vasectomy has been shown to be unassociated with altered risk of CHD in humans.