Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To define concentrations (conc) of steroid hormones in patients (pts) with preserved gonadal function, suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD), and to assess their relations to patients’ weight.

Material: Pts with coronarographically proved CAD: C-W group (gr)-52 women (W) in the age 43±3 years, with stable menstrual rhythm, C-M gr-46 men (M) in the age 52±6 years. Healthy volunteers: H-W gr-15 W (H-W) in the age 41±4 years, H-M gr-13 M in the age 51±6 years.

Methods: In all pts occurrences of common risk factors of CAD including values of body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip-ratio (WHR) were defined. To assess concentrations of hormones in pts of all grs blood samples from cubital vein were taken at 8.00 a.m., in W in 4-7 day of sexual cycle. Using immunological methods conc of estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone (P) and cortisol (Cort) were measured.

Results: Only conc of T was significantly higher in C-W than in H-W (3.5±1.7 vs 2.4±1.0 nmol/l, P<0.02). In C-W a negative correlation between BMI or WHR and conc of T and DHEAS was found.

In C-M, comparing to H-M, conc of P and conc of Cort were higher (3.5±1.6 vs 1.4±1.0, P<0.001, and 345±97 vs 246±96 nmol/l, P<0.01, respectively) and a there was a trend towards lower conc of T (10.3±3.8 vs 12.2±3.3 nmol/l, P<0.1). In C-M we found a negative correlation of BMI or WHR with conc of P and DHEAS and positive correlation with conc of E2. Because in C-M a positive correlation between conc of P and T, and conc of P and Cort was present, there was an indirect negative relationship between BMI or WHR and conc of T and Cort.

Conclusions: T is involved in pathogenesis of CAD and plays proatherogenic role in young women and probably antiatherogenic role in men. In both sexes excessive weight is a potent risk factor of CAD, because it influences conc of steroid hormones of gonadal and adrenal origin including changing conc of T in unfavourable manner.