Is Low Testosterone Concentration a Risk Factor for Metabolic Syndrome in Healthy Middle-Aged Men?

Urology 2013 Oct 01;82(4)814-819, A Tsujimura, Y Miyagawa, K Takezawa, H Okuda, S Fukuhara, H Kiuchi, T Takao, R Yamamoto, M Nishida, K Yamauchi-Takihara, T Moriyama, N Nonomura

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

  • Is a low testosterone level a risk factor for metabolic syndrome?
  • Physical examination results, lab values, and total testosterone (TT) were assessed in 1150 Japanese men ≥ 30 years old. The association between serum TT level and incidence risk of MS and MS factors was analyzed.
  • A lower level of serum TT was associated with a higher probability of metabolic syndrome.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To clarify the probability of low serum testosterone level as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MS) in middle-aged men, we measured serum total testosterone (TT) and assessed several metabolic factors because the direct risk for MS has not been investigated fully in men.

Methods: This study comprised 1150 men aged ≥30 years. Physical and laboratory variables were assessed. Analyses were conducted to determine the association between serum TT level and incidence risk of MS and MS factors by a separate logistic regression model.

Results: Mean (± standard deviation [SD]) serum TT level was 5.4 ± 1.7 ng/mL in the 1150 men, and only 92 men (8.0%) were classified as having MS by the Japanese criteria. In age-adjusted analyses, higher levels of serum TT were independently associated with a lower risk of MS (odds ratio, per SD decrement of TT, 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-2.9). MS risk increased by lower quintile of TT: ORs were 15.1 (95% CI, 4.6-50.0) for first quintile, 8.8 (95% CI, 2.6-29.9) for second quintile, 5.8 (95% CI, 1.7-20.5) for third quintile, and 5.0 (95% CI, 1.4-17.9) for fourth quintile compared with highest quintile of TT. Age-adjusted ORs for the incidence of dichotomous components of MS per SD decrement of TT were 1.8 (95% CI, 1.5-2.3) for waist circumference, 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.2) for dyslipidemia, and 1.5 (95% CI, 1.2-1.8) for hypertension.

Conclusion: We found that higher probability of MS was associated with lower levels of serum TT level in relatively healthy middle-aged Japanese men.

Journal Abstract:  http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/retrieve/pii/S0090-4295(13)00767-X?tpstoken=150.f1Vqvxt0s46G2Pva%2fB5XZB00YGBfEaEc3fYRJP%2fgq%2fti2xieW4PgtJ1BBNgADM5o

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