Endocrine Abstracts

Context: Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has shown benefit on insulin resistance, glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk markers in hypogonadal men with diabetes. Arterial stiffness and intima-media thickness (IMT) are vessel wall properties associated with future cardovascular risk which allow the progress of atherosclerosis to be assessed non-invasively. Low testosterone has been associated with the presence and progression of carotid atherosclerosis as assessed by...

Background: The effect of long term opioids on the hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is conflicting. We present a case of a 21-year-old female who presented with adrenal insufficiency (AI) secondary to chronic tramadol use.Case summary: Our patient presented with a three year history of non-specific abdominal pain, lethargy and dizziness. No cause was found for these symptoms despite thorough investigations. One month before referral to Endoc...

Introduction: Low testosterone levels are associated with cardiovascular morbidity and an increased risk of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is closely associated with insulin resistance and atherosclerosis.AIM: We studied the effect of long-term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on liver function and cardiovascular risk factors in hypogonadal men.Method: Retrospective audit of 308 hypogonadal men receiving TRT as in...

Context: Obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in men are associated with low testosterone levels. Leptin is produced in adipose tissue in proportion to obesity and is known to be negatively associated with testosterone in men. The shared association of testosterone and leptin with obesity is in line with the proposed adipocytokine–hypogonadal–obesity cycle which aims to explain the relationships between these variables.Methods: We inves...

Low testosterone levels are a common in men with coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes (DM2). Testosterone replacement therapy improves insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control in men with diabetes and improves numerous other cardiovascular risk factors. Interest in testosterone as a potential treatment for cardiovascular disease continues to grow. Low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are recognised as an independent cardiovascular risk factor and comprise part of the met...

Men with Type 2 diabetes have a high prevalence of low testosterone levels. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control in men with Type 2 diabetes. TRT also reduces fat mass and central obesity. The androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism length (AR CAG) correlates positively with transcriptional activity of the receptor as well as body fat, and insulin levels in healthy men. Most studies have not found an assoc...

Testosterone deficiency increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. Testosterone replacement (TRT) improves insulin resistance, glycaemic control and cholesterol in hypogonadal men. Liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear receptor which regulates lipid and glucose metabolism. LXR agonists protect against atherosclerosis but cause hepatic steatosis. We have previously shown that TRT protects against hepatic steatosis and atherosclerosis in high-fat diet-fed...

Objectives: Testosterone deficiency is common in obese men with type 2 diabetes. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) improves insulin resistance, glycaemic control and cholesterol in hypogonadal men, and TRT reduces body fat mass. Adipose tissue plays a major role in glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity through the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. There are functional differences between subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue. This study investigates the...

Introduction: Both low testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction (ED) are highly prevalent in men with type 2 diabetes. Lower testosterone levels are known to be associated with worsening severity of ED as assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function score (IIEF). Testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction are both independently correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.Aim: To investigate the effect of low testoste...

There are controversial data on the beneficial/detrimental effects on the cardiovascular as well as on the metabolic system by the sex hormone testosterone. Recent data support the hypothesis that low levels of androgens are associated with adverse cardiovascular risk factors including an atherogenic lipid profile, obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension. AMPK is a sensor of energy balance at both the cellular and whole-body level. Once activated by low energy status, it ...