Correlation between testosterone and the inflammatory marker soluble interleukin-6 receptor in older men

Marcello Maggio, Shehzad Basaria, Alessandro Ble, Fulvio Lauretani, Stefania Bandinelli, Gian Paolo Ceda, Giorgio Valenti, Shari M. Ling, Luigi Ferrucci

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

138 Scopus citations

Abstract

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-α, IL-1β, 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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)345-347
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume91
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2006
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry, medical

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