This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 91/1/345    most recent Author Manuscript (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor View responses Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maggio, M. Articles by Ferrucci, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maggio, M. Articles by Ferrucci, L. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Seniors' Health Hazardous Substances DB TESTOSTERONE Related Collections Male Endocrinology

Correlation between Testosterone and the Inflammatory Marker Soluble Interleukin-6 Receptor in Older Men

Longitudinal Studies Section (M.M., S.Bas., A.B., L.F.) and Translational Research and Medical Support Section (S.Bas., S.M.L.), Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21225; Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center (S.Bas.), Baltimore, Maryland; Tuscany Regional Health Agency (F.L.,), 50134 Florence, Italy; Geriatric Rehabilitation, Azienda Sanitaria di Firenze (S.Ban.), 50125 Florence, Italy; and Department of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Section of Geriatrics, University of Parma (G.P.C., G.V.), 43100 Parma, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Advanced Studies in Translational Research on Aging at Harbor Hospital, 3001 South Hanover Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21225. E-mail: ferruccilu{at}grc.nia.nih.gov.

Context: An age-associated decline in testosterone (T) levels and an increase in proinflammatory cytokines contribute to chronic diseases in older men. Whether and how these changes are related is unclear.

Objective: We hypothesized that T and inflammatory markers are negatively correlated in older men.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: A population-based sample of older men was studied.

Participants and Measures: After excluding participants taking glucocorticoids or antibiotics or those with recent hospitalization, 467 men, aged 65 yr or older, had complete determinations of total T, bioavailable T, SHBG, albumin, IL-6, soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), TNF-, IL-1ß, and C-reactive protein.

Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, sIL-6r was significantly and inversely correlated with total T (r = –0.20; P < 0.001) and bioavailable T (r = –0.12; P < 0.05). T was not correlated with any other inflammatory marker.

Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest an inverse relationship between T and sIL-6r. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the causality of this association.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Basaria and A. S. Dobs Testosterone Making an Entry Into the Cardiometabolic World Circulation, December 4, 2007; 116(23): 2658 - 2661. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Maggio, F. Lauretani, G. P. Ceda, S. Bandinelli, S. M. Ling, E. J. Metter, A. Artoni, L. Carassale, A. Cazzato, G. Ceresini, et al. Relationship Between Low Levels of Anabolic Hormones and 6-Year Mortality in Older Men: The Aging in the Chianti Area (InCHIANTI) Study Arch Intern Med, November 12, 2007; 167(20): 2249 - 2254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Yialamas, A. A. Dwyer, E. Hanley, H. Lee, N. Pitteloud, and F. J. Hayes Acute Sex Steroid Withdrawal Reduces Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Men with Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2007; 92(11): 4254 - 4259. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D Kapoor, S Clarke, R Stanworth, K S Channer, and T H Jones The effect of testosterone replacement therapy on adipocytokines and C-reactive protein in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes Eur. J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2007; 156(5): 595 - 602. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Maggio, F. Lauretani, G. P. Ceda, S. Bandinelli, S. Basaria, G. Paolisso, A. Ble, J. M. Egan, E. J. Metter, A. M. Abbatecola, et al. Association of hormonal dysregulation with metabolic syndrome in older women: data from the InCHIANTI study Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, January 1, 2007; 292(1): E353 - E358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Maggio, A. Blackford, D. Taub, M. Carducci, A. Ble, E. J. Metter, M. Braga-Basaria, A. Dobs, and S. Basaria Circulating Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in Men With Prostate Cancer Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy J Androl, November 1, 2006; 27(6): 725 - 728. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Maggio, J. M. Guralnik, D. L. Longo, and L. Ferrucci Interleukin-6 in aging and chronic disease: a magnificent pathway. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., June 1, 2006; 61(6): 575 - 584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: