Serum levels of sex hormones in men with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the serum levels of total testosterone(TT), free testosterone (FT), estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and androstenedione (AS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at the time of hospitalization, patients with old myocardial infarction (OMI), and patients with normal coronary arteries (NC) admitted for diagnostic coronary angiography. METHODS: Serum sex hormones and lipid profile were measured in 79 male patients; 30 patients with AMI, 21 patient with OMI and 28 patients with NC. Ages ranged from 33-68 years. Androstenedione, estrogen, both total and free testosterone levels were quantified using coat-a-count radioimmunoassay kits. Sex hormone binding globulin was analyzed using immunoradiometric assay (IRMA)-count kits. RESULTS: The levels of serum estradiol in the AMI were significantly higher and serum levels of TT, FT, and SHBG were significantly lower in AMI than in OMI and NC but there was no difference found for the levels of AS in all groups. Estradiol level was also higher in OMI than in control group but no significant changes found for other sex hormones in OMI and control group. Also triglyceride, high density and low density lipoprotein in AMI were significantly different from that in OMI and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Serum estradiol and low density lipoprotein levels are increased but TT, FT and SHBG levels are decreased in men with AMI compared with patients with NC.

Serum sex hormones in premenopausal women with coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between the incidence of coronary heart diseases in premenopausal women and plasma level of total and free testosterone, estrogen, androstenedione and sex hormone binding globulin with coronary risk factors: fasting plasma concentration of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins. METHODS: The study was conducted in Faculty of Medicine, Jordanian University of Science/Irbid Jordan and Technology and department of cardiology in Queen Alia Heart Institute/Amman Jordan during the period from April 2003 to March 2004. Serum sex hormones levels were measured in fifty-three premenopausal women; 25 women with coronary heart disease who had hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus and 28 women without coronary heart disease. Ages ranged from 34 to 48 years. Blood samples were collected just before performing coronary angiography and serum was obtained and frozen at -70 degrees C until use. RESULTS: We found that the mean triglyceride, fasting blood sugar total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein concentration were significantly higher in coronary heart disease patients than in patients with normal coronaries. We also found that the low levels of sex hormone binding globulin and high levels of free testosterone are associated with development of coronary heart disease. No significant correlation could be established between other plasma sex hormones level and coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION: In young women, in the presence of coronary risk factors and normal level of serum estrogen, the high levels of serum free testosterone and low levels of serum sex hormone binding globulin are associated with development of atherosclerosis and increased incidence of coronary heart disease.