Endogenous androgens and carotid intimal-medial thickness in women

The influence of endogenous androgens on atherosclerotic disease in women i s unknown. In this study involving 101 pre- and post-menopausal females, we evaluated the relationship between serum androgen levels and both carotid artery intimal-medial thickness (IMT) and major cardiovascular risk factors . In addition to evaluation of blood pressure, body mass index, and waist-t o-hip ratio, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), androstenedione (A), total testosterone (TTS), free testosterone (PTS), insulin, cholester ol (total and high density lipoproteins), triglycerides, and glucose were m easured. All women underwent carotid ultrasonography. Spearman correlation coefficients showed that serum DHEA-S and A levels were negatively related (P < 0.03-0.0004) to several IMT measures. Higher tertiles of DHEA-S, A, an d ETS corresponded to significantly lower measures of carotid thickness. DH EA-S, and all androgens were inversely related to age (P < 0.03 or less), s howing no unfavorable association with major cardiovascular risk factors. I n contrast, serum DHEA-S was negatively associated with WHR (P < 0.02), whi le A was negatively associated with body mass index (P < 0.02). Stepwise mu ltiple regression analysis indicated that A and FTS; showed an inverse asso ciation with IMT measures (P < 0.05-0.001). In conclusion, our data indicate that in women serum DHEA-S and androgens d ecline with age and that normal hormonal levels are not associated with maj or cardiovascular risk factors. They also show that higher DHEA-S and andro gen concentrations are related to lower carotid wall thickness; for a this association is independent of cardiovascular risk factors. Our results sugg est that, in the physiological range, DHEA-S and androgens in women are cor related with lower risk of carotid artery atherosclerosis.