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Predictive value of low testosterone concentrations regarding coronary heart disease and mortality in men and women – evidence from the FINRISK 97 study
Author(s) -
Zeller T.,
Appelbaum S.,
Kuulasmaa K.,
Palosaari T.,
Blankenberg S.,
Jousilahti P.,
Salomaa V.,
Karakas M.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/joim.12943
Subject(s) - medicine , testosterone (patch) , proportional hazards model , waist , coronary heart disease , population , cohort , endocrinology , body mass index , demography , environmental health , sociology
The relevance of low testosterone concentrations for incident coronary heart disease ( CHD ) and mortality has been discussed in various studies. Here, we evaluate the predictive value of low baseline testosterone levels in a large population‐based cohort. Methods We measured the serum levels of testosterone in 7671 subjects (3710 male, 3961 female) of the population‐based FINRISK 97 study. Results The median follow‐up ( FU ) was 13.8 years. During the FU , a total of 779 deaths from any cause, and 395 incident CHD events were recorded. The age‐adjusted baseline testosterone levels were similar in subjects suffering incident events during FU and those without incident events during FU (men: 15.80 vs. 17.01 nmol L −1 ; P = 0.69, women: 1.14 vs. 1.15 nmol L −1 ; P = 0.92). Weak correlations of testosterone levels were found with smoking ( R = 0.09; P < 0.001), HDL cholesterol levels ( R = 0.22, P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure ( R = −0.05; P = 0.011), BMI ( R = −0.23; P < 0.001) and waist‐hip‐ratio ( R = −0.21; P < 0.001) in men, and with eGFR ( R = −0.05; P = 0.009) in women. Kaplan–Meier analyses did not reveal a positive association of testosterone levels with incident CHD or mortality. Accordingly, also in Cox regression analyses, testosterone levels were not predictive for incident CHD or mortality – neither in men ( HR 1.02 [95% CI : 0.70–1.51]; P = 0.79 for lowest versus highest quarter regarding CHD and HR 1.06 [95% CI : 0.80–1.39]; P = 0.67 regarding mortality), nor in women ( HR 1.13 [95% CI : 0.69–1.85]; P = 0.56 for lowest versus highest quarter regarding CHD and HR 0.99 [95% CI : 0.71–1.39]; P = 0.80 regarding mortality). Conclusions Low levels of testosterone are not predictive regarding future CHD or mortality – neither in men, nor in women.