The relationship between testosterone, metabolic syndrome, and mean carotid intima-media thickness in aging men

Figures & data

Table 1. Patient characteristics (n = 935).

Variable
Age, years	57.0 (55.0–58.0)
Testosterone (ng/mL)	5.1 (4.2–6.3)
Height (cm)	170.3 (168.0–174.0)
Body weight (kg)	73.0 (68.0–78.4)
Waist circumference (cm)	90.0 (86.0–94.0)
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	123.0 (114.0–136.0)
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	81.0 (74.0–88.0)
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	127.0 (91.0–179.0)
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dL)	40.0 (35.0–47.0)
Fasting blood sugar (mg/dL)	102.0 (95.0–114.0)
Metabolic syndrome (%)	39.4 (368)
Mean IMT (mm)	0.725 (0.669–0.800)

IMT, intima-media thickness.

The values are presented as the median (interquartile range) or % (number).

Table 2. Pearson’s correlations between mean IMT and age or testosterone.

	Age	Testosterone
Mean IMT	0.195 (<0.001)	−0.067 (0.039)

IMT, intima-media thickness. The values are presented as the correlation co-efficiency (p value).

Table 3. The relationship between late onset hypogonadism and severity of mean IMT.

	Mean IMT
	Tertile 1	Tertile 2	Tertile 3	p*
Testosterone <3.5 ng/mL	9.0 (28)	13.3 (44)	15.1 (44)	0.022

IMT, intima-media thickness; Tertile 1, first tertile; Tertile 2, second tertile; Tertile 3, third tertile.

*Mantel–Haenszel Extension test.

The values are presented as the % (number).

Table 4. The OR for late onset hypogonadism according to severity of mean IMT.

	Mean IMT
	Tertile 1	Tertile 2	Tertile 3
Testosterone <3.5 ng/mL
OR*	1.000 (reference)	1.506 (0.908–2.497)	1.700 (1.015–2.848)
p Value†	–	0.113	0.044

Odds ratios are listed as 95% confidence intervals with absence of plaque as the reference category.

IMT, intima-media thickness; OR, odds ratio; Tertile 1, first tertile; Tertile 2, second tertile; Tertile 3, third tertile.

*OR, adjusting for age and metabolic syndrome.

†p value, logistic regression analysis.

Table 5. Mean IMT according to the presence of metabolic syndrome.

	Metabolic syndrome
	Absent	Present	p
Unadjusted mean*  (mm)	0.733 (0.112)	0.764 (0.118)	<0.001
Adjusted mean†  (mm)	0.733 (0.724–0.742)	0.764 (0.752–0.775)	<0.001

Data are presented as mean (standard deviation) or mean (95% confidence interval).

IMT, intima-media thickness.

*t test; †multiple linear regression test: adjusted for age and testosterone.

Table 6. Testosterone according to the presence and absence of metabolic syndrome.

	Metabolic syndrome
	Absent	Present	p
Unadjusted mean*  (ng/mL)	5.52 (1.68)	4.88 (1.38)	<0.001
Adjusted mean†  (ng/mL)	5.52 (5.36–5.65)	4.89 (4.73–5.06)	<0.001

Data are presented as mean (standard deviation) or mean (95% confidence interval).

*t test; †multiple linear regression test: adjusted for age and mean intima-media thickness.