The Association Between Testosterone and Vascular Function in Reproductive-Aged Females With Chronic Kidney Disease
Nabilah Gulamhusein, BSc,
Sofia B. Ahmed, MD, MMSc,
Jessalyn K. Holodinsky, PhD,
Marrissa Buchan, BSc,
Ana Hernandez-Reyes, BSc,
Susan Pyakurel, BVSc,
Darlene Y. Sola, BScN,
Milada Pajevic, BSc,
Sandra M. Dumanski, MD, MSc
Affiliations
Nabilah Gulamhusein, BSc
Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Sofia B. Ahmed, MD, MMSc
Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Jessalyn K. Holodinsky, PhD
O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Center for Health Informatics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Marrissa Buchan, BSc
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Ana Hernandez-Reyes, BSc
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Susan Pyakurel, BVSc
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Darlene Y. Sola, BScN
Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Milada Pajevic, BSc
Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Sandra M. Dumanski, MD, MSc
Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Corresponding author: Dr Sandra M. Dumanski, 1403-29th Street NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 2T9, Canada. Tel.: +1-403-944-8035; fax: +1-403-944-2876.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, and women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience especially elevated risk. This study examined the association between testosterone and vascular function in 61 reproductive-aged females with CKD. Testosterone levels and measures of vascular function were assessed, including pulse wave velocity, aortic augmentation, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and velocity time integral. Multivariable linear regression analyses assessed the relationship between testosterone and each measure of vascular function. No associations were observed between testosterone and vascular function outcomes, although a significant positive association between testosterone-to-estradiol ratio and FMD was demonstrated. Although testosterone levels were not independently predictive of vascular function, the level of testosterone relative to estradiol was associated with FMD and may therefore influence endothelial function in the high-risk population of reproductive-aged female patients with CKD. Résumé: Alors que les maladies cardiovasculaires sont la cause principale de décès chez les femmes, les femmes atteintes d’une maladie rénale chronique (MRC) sont exposées à un risque particulièrement élevé. La présente étude vise à examiner l’association entre la testostérone et la fonction vasculaire de 61 femmes en âge de procréer atteintes d’une MCV. Nous avons évalué les concentrations de testostérone et les mesures de la fonction vasculaire, soit la vélocité de l’onde de pouls, l’augmentation de l’aorte, la dilatation médiée par le flux (DMF) et l’intégrale temps-vitesse. Les analyses multivariées de régression linéaire ont permis d’évaluer la relation entre la testostérone et chacune des mesures de la fonction vasculaire. Aucune association n’a été observée entre la testostérone et les résultats de la fonction vasculaire, bien qu’une association positive significative entre le ratio testostérone/œstradiol et la DMF ait été démontrée. Bien que les concentrations de testostérone n’étaient pas indépendamment prédictives de la fonction vasculaire, les concentrations de la testostérone relativement à l’œstradiol ont été associées à la DMF et peuvent par conséquent influencer la fonction endothéliale au sein de la population exposée à un risque élevé composée de patientes en âge de procréer atteintes d’une MRC.
