Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To assess possible changes in concentrations (conc) of hormones in men (M) suffering from metabolic syndrome (MS) which may be involved in pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materal: CAD-M group: 33 M with MS and CAD in the age 51,5±6,4 years with angiographically defined CAD. 14 of them were normoglycemic, 19 with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus t. II. H-M group: 13 healthy M in the same age.

Methods: In M of both groups the occurrence of common risk factors of CAD was determined. By immunological methods conc of luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), 17-hydroxy-progesterone (17-OH-P), testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin (Ins), somatomedin-1 (IGF-1), cortisol (Cort) and leptin (Lept) in blood was measured.

Results: In CAD-M significantly higher conc of Lept (23,9±14,1 vs 14,2±13 μg/ml, P<0,02), Ins (26,3±37,4 vs 9,7±4,9 μU/ml, P<0,00005) and Cort (12,6±3,8 vs 9,0±3,8 μg/dl, P<0,04) than in H-M was revealed. Conc of LH was lower (3,7±2,3 vs 6,0±4,8 IU/l, P<0,01) and conc of P was higher (0,034±0,029 vs 0,013±0,01 nmol/l, P< 0,001) and there was a trend towards lower conc of FSH and T and higher conc of E2 in CAD- M. Conc of IGF-1, 17-OH-P and DHEAS were similar in M of both groups.

Conclusions: Higher conc of Ins influence atherogenesis in M. Elevated conc of Lept may constitute a risk factor of CAD in M. Higher conc of P and lower conc of LH indicates changes in function of pituitary-gonadal axis in men with CAD and MS.

Elevated conc of Cort in CAD-M may suggest proatherogenic changes in adrenal steroidogenesis.