The Relation Between Androgen And Lipids Level In Old-age Male With Atherosclerosis

Background Atherosclerosis(AS) is affected by many factors as a pathological course , such as cigarette smoking, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes and so on . It is noticed that AS is more common in men than in women , and men has higher risk than women in getting coronary heart disease . It has been shown that old-age male has lower androgen level , especially the lower biologically active androgen level . So there is viewpoint that androgen level has close relation with the start and development of AS , androgen level decreasing is an independent risk factor of AS .There is an important sex difference in the formation of AS . Many studies have been done about the relation between estrogen and AS and it is believed that estrogen can prevent the formation of AS . In recent years androgen receives many attention in the AS process of old-age male and its importance has been recognized . But the base and clinical study about the association between androgen and AS is deficient , especially in our country . The interaction of androgen and AS is uncertain . Some think that androgen promoted the AS happening and increased theincidence rate of coronary heart disease . But more studies put forward that androgen can inhibit the start and development of AS .The chief ingredient of androgen in human body is testosterone . But it's level decreases with the increase of age , especially the free testosterone . Free testosterone has biological action and plays an important role in body . Be regarded as one of the risk factors , hyperlipemia has close relation with AS . There is study shows that androgen affects the process of AS by causing lipid metabolism disorder . We aim to research the change of androgen level, especially the free testosterone , and the lipid level in patients . Analyze the relation between their level changing and the AS process of old-age male , and try to find out their correlation , to provide clinical materials to the prevention and treatment of AS .Materials and Methods Forty patients in our hospital were selected from 2003.3 to 2003.12 , and they were accord with the inclusive condition by Doppler ultrasound examination . Another forty patients Were selected as control group . Total testosterone(TT) and free testosterone(FT) were assayed by radioimmunoassay . total cholesterol(TC), total triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), lower density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C) and very lower density lipoprotein-cholesterol(VLDL-C) were assayed by colorimetry . The mean difference between case group and control group was compared and the correlation between FT and lipids level in the same group was analysed.Results The levels of FT and HDL-C in case group were obviously lower than those in control group (P<0. 05), while the levels of LDL-C, VLDL-C, TC and TG were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0. 05) . Both in case group and control group , FT has positive relation with HDL-C and negative relation with LDL-C and TC (P<0. 05) . In case group , FT shows negative relation with TC (P<0. 05) .Conclusion Low androgen level and lipids metabolism disorder exist in old-age male with atherosclerosis . FT level is likely to defer the happening and development of AS process , and this role of androgen may has relation with lipids metabolism disorder .