Estrogens protect the vascular system in women, but its effect in men is unclear. We evaluated the impact of estrogen on the male cardiovascular system. Of 140 Chinese males, 55 (aged 61.2 ± 3.5) were cases and 60 (aged 59.5 ± 4.6) were controls. Compared with the control group, only serum estradiol ([E2]; P < .01) levels but not testosterone ([T]; P = .21) were significantly lower in the cases. Linear and multiple regression analysis showed that serum T was positively associated with triglycerides ([TG]; r = .439, P < .01) and d-dimer (r = .258, P < .05) but negatively associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (r = −.267, P < .05) and C-reactive protein (CRP; r = −.214, P < .05). Estradiol was highly associated with TG (r = .783, P < .01) and HDL-C (r = .515, P < .01) but was negatively related with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; P < .05), total cholesterol/HDL-C (P < .05), CRP (P < .01), and d-dimer (P < .01). In conclusion, serum E2 and T levels affect coronary heart disease risk factors in males.
KolovouGDBilianouHG. Influence of aging and menopause on lipids and lipoproteins in women. Angiology. 2008;59(2 suppl):54S–57S.
2.
AssmannGGottoAMJr. HDL cholesterol and protective factors in atherosclerosis. Circulation. 2004;109(23 suppl 1):III8–III14.
3.
FernandezMLJonesJJAckermanD. Low HDL cholesterol is associated with increased atherogenic lipoproteins and insulin resistance in women classified with metabolic syndrome. Nutr Res Pract. 2010;4(6):492–498.
4.
ManabeI. Chronic Inflammation Links Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Renal Diseases. Circ J. 2011;75(12):2739-2748.
5.
ReslMClodiMNeuholdS. Serum uric acid is related to cardiovascular events and correlates with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and albuminuria in patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabet Med. 2011; doi: 10.1111/j:1464-5491.
6.
MitsakakisKGizeliE. Detection of multiple cardiac markers with an integrated acoustic platform for cardiovascular risk assessment. Anal Chim Acta. 2011;699(1):1-5.
7.
EichingerSHronGKollarsM. Prediction of recurrent venous thromboembolism by endogenous thrombin potential and D-dimer. Clin Chem. 2008;54(12):2042–2048.
8.
Guarner-LansVRubio-RuizMEPerez-TorresI. Relation of aging and sex hormones to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Exp Gerontol. 2011;46(7):517–523.
9.
VitaleCMendelsohnMERosanoGM. Gender differences in the cardiovascular effect of sex hormones. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2009;6(8):532–542.
10.
Negre-SalvayreAPieraggiMTMabileL. Protective effect of 17 beta-estradiol against the cytotoxicity of minimally oxidized LDL to cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. Atherosclerosis. 1993;99(2):207–217.
11.
HuberLASchefflerEPollT. 17 beta-estradiol inhibits LDL oxidation and cholesteryl ester formation in cultured macrophages. Free Radic Res Commun. 1990;8(3):167–173.
12.
GearyN. The effect of estrogen on appetite. Medscape Womens Health. 1998;3(6):3.
13.
GearyGGKrauseDNDucklesSP. Estrogen reduces mouse cerebral artery tone through endothelial NOS- and cyclooxygenase-dependent mechanisms. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2000;279(2):H511–H519.
14.
McNeillAMKimNDucklesSP. Chronic estrogen treatment increases levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein in rat cerebral microvessels. Stroke. 1999;30(10):2186–2190.
15.
GungorFKaleliogluITurfandaA. Vascular effects of estrogen and progestins and risk of coronary artery disease: importance of timing of estrogen treatment. Angiology. 2009;60(3):308–317.
16.
LernerDJKannelWB. Patterns of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality in the sexes: a 26-year follow-up of the Framingham population. Am Heart J. 1986;111(2):383–390.
17.
WehrEPilzSBoehmBO. Low free testosterone is associated with heart failure mortality in older men referred for coronary angiography. Eur J Heart Fail. 2011;13(5):482–488.
18.
KolovouGBilianouHMarvakiA. Aging men and lipids. Am J Mens Health. 2011;5(2):152–165.
19.
FujimotoJNishigakiMHoriM. The effect of estrogen and androgen on androgen receptors and mRNA levels in uterine leiomyoma, myometrium and endometrium of human subjects. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1994;50(3-4):137–143.
20.
BulunSESebastianSTakayamaK. The human CYP19 (aromatase P450) gene: update on physiologic roles and genomic organization of promoters. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2003;86(3-5):219–224.
21.
DavisonSLBellRDonathS. Androgen levels in adult females: changes with age, menopause, and oophorectomy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90(7):3847–3853.
22.
YeapBBHydeZAlmeidaOP. Lower testosterone levels predict incident stroke and transient ischemic attack in older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94(7):2353–2359.
23.
JaveshghaniDSairamMRSchiffrinEL. Increased blood pressure, vascular inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction in androgen-deficient follitropin receptor knockout male mice. J Am Soc Hypertens. 2007;1(5):353–361.
24.
TraishAMAbdouRKypreosKE. Androgen deficiency and atherosclerosis: the lipid link. Vascul Pharmacol. 2009;51(5-6):303–313.
25.
TraishAMFeeleyRJGuayA. Mechanisms of obesity and related pathologies: androgen deficiency and endothelial dysfunction may be the link between obesity and erectile dysfunction. FEBS J. 2009;276(20):5755–5767.
26.
TraishAMSaadFFeeleyRJ. The dark side of testosterone deficiency: III. Cardiovascular disease. J Androl. 2009;30(5):477–494.
27.
KrauseDNDucklesSPPelligrinoDA. Influence of sex steroid hormones on cerebrovascular function. J Appl Physiol. 2006;101(4):1252–1261.
28.
RazmaraAKrauseDNDucklesSP. Testosterone augments endotoxin-mediated cerebrovascular inflammation in male rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2005;289(5):H1843–H1850.
29.
FriedewaldWTLevyRIFredricksonDS. Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem. 1972;18(6):499–502.
30.
ArnlovJPencinaMJAminS. Endogenous sex hormones and cardiovascular disease incidence in men. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145(3):176–184.
31.
CauleyJAGutaiJPKullerLH. Usefulness of sex steroid hormone levels in predicting coronary artery disease in men. Am J Cardiol. 1987;60(10):771–777.
32.
CoronaGRastrelliGVignozziL. Testosterone, cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;25(2):337–353.
33.
KajinamiKTakedaKTakekoshiN. Imbalance of sex hormone levels in men with coronary artery disease. Coron Artery Dis. 2004;15(4):199–203.
34.
De LeoMPivonelloRAuriemmaRS. Cardiovascular disease in Cushing's syndrome: heart versus vasculature. Neuroendocrinology. 2010;92(suppl 1):50–54.
35.
PhillipsDIJonesAGouldenPA. Birth weight, stress, and the metabolic syndrome in adult life. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006;1083:28–36.
36.
AijazBBabuinLSquiresRW. Long-term mortality with multiple treadmill exercise test abnormalities: comparison between patients with and without cardiovascular disease. Am Heart J. 2008;156(4):783–789.
37.
NorthernALRutterSMPetersonCM. Cyclic changes in the concentrations of peripheral blood immune cells during the normal menstrual cycle. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1994;207(1):81–88.
38.
GonzalesRJAnsarSDucklesSP. Androgenic/estrogenic balance in the male rat cerebral circulation: metabolic enzymes and sex steroid receptors. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2007;27(11):1841–1852.
39.
PhillipsGBCastelliWPAbbottRD. Association of hyperestrogenemia and coronary heart disease in men in the Framingham cohort. Am J Med. 1983;74(5):863–869.
40.
NaessenTSjogrenUBergquistJ. Endogenous steroids measured by high-specificity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and prevalent cardiovascular disease in 70-year-old men and women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95(4):1889–1897.
41.
LerchbaumEPilzSGrammerTB. High estradiol levels are associated with increased mortality in older men referred to coronary angiography. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2011;119(8):490–496.
42.
SaltikiKPapageorgiouGVoidonikolaP. Endogenous estrogen levels are associated with endothelial function in males independently of lipid levels. Endocrine. 2010;37(2):329–335.
43.
KnoppRHZhuXBonetB. Effects of estrogens on lipoprotein metabolism and cardiovascular disease in women. Atherosclerosis. 1994;110(suppl):S83–S91.
44.
PrelevicGMKwongPByrneDJ. A cross-sectional study of the effects of hormon replacement therapy on the cardiovascular disease risk profile in healthy postmenopausal women. Fertil Steril. 2002;77(5):945–951.
45.
Callou de SaEQde SaFCSilvaRD. Endogenous Oestradiol but not testosterone is related to coronary artery disease in men sex hormones and coronary artery disease. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2011;75(2):177-183.
46.
EnglishKMMandourOSteedsRP. Men with coronary artery disease have lower levels of androgens than men with normal coronary angiograms. Eur Heart J. 2000;21(11):890–894.
47.
TurhanSTulunayCGulecS. The association between androgen levels and premature coronary artery disease in men. Coron Artery Dis. 2007;18(3):159–162.
48.
VikanTSchirmerHNjolstadI. Endogenous sex hormones and the prospective association with cardiovascular disease and mortality in men: the Tromso Study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2009;161(3):435–442.
49.
AkishitaMHashimotoMOhikeY. Low testosterone level as a predictor of cardiovascular events in Japanese men with coronary risk factors. Atherosclerosis. 2010;210(1):232–236.
50.
CoronaGRastrelliGMonamiM. Hypogonadism as a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in men: a meta-analytic study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2011;165(5):687–701.
51.
AavikEdu ToitDMyburghE. Estrogen receptor beta dominates in baboon carotid after endothelial denudation injury. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2001;182(1):91–98.
52.
DuivisHEde JongePPenninxBW. Depressive symptoms, health behaviors, and subsequent inflammation in patients with coronary heart disease: prospective findings from the heart and soul study. Am J Psychiatry. 2011;168(9):913–920.
53.
Nakhai PourHRGrobbeeDEMullerM. Association of endogenous sex hormone with C-reactive protein levels in middle-aged and elderly men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2007;66(3):394–398.
