The relationship of serum androgens and ovulatory status to blood pressure in reproductive-age women

• Published in: American journal of hypertension Vol. 12; no. 8; pp. 772 - 777
• Main Authors: Ayala, Carma, Steinberger, Emil, Sweeney, Anne, Mueller, William H, Waller, Dorothy K, Hardy, Robert, Petak, Steven M, Rodriguez-Rigau, Luis J, Smith, Keith D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.1999; Oxford University Press; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Abdomen - anatomy & histology; adiposity; Adult; Androgens; Androgens - blood; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Body Mass Index; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Female; Humans; hyperandrogenemia; Hyperandrogenism - blood; Hyperandrogenism - physiopathology; hypertension; Medical sciences; Menstruation Disturbances - blood; Obesity - blood; Obesity - pathology; Obesity - physiopathology; Ovulation - physiology; blood pressure; Androgens; adiposity; hyperandrogenemia; hypertension; Human; Hypertension; Obesity; Androgen; Pathogenesis; Nutrition disorder; Sex; Cardiovascular disease; Female; Arterial pressure; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1879-1905; 1941-7225
• DOI: 10.1016/S0895-7061(99)00048-5

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between hyperandrogenemia and blood pressure in women with menstrual irregularities seen at an endocrinology clinic. Women with serum testosterone levels (T) ≥ 30 ng/dL were more likely to have general obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 6.8, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 2.2–27.2) and central obesity (OR = 14.5, 95% CI = 6.1–38.7) than euandrogenemic women. Hyperandrogenemic women (HA) had an OR of 2.4 (95% CI = 1.0–6.2) for elevated SBP and an OR of 2.7 (95% CI = 0.8–8.8) for elevated DBP, independent of age and ovulatory status. Obese HA had an OR of 4.7 (95% CI = 2.3–10.4) for elevated SBP and an OR of 2.9 (95% CI = 1.9–9.9) for elevated DBP. In conclusion, T is associated with an increased risk for obesity and central adiposity. T predicts BP elevation independent of age and ovulatory status. There was a synergistic relationship between obesity and androgens in their affect on BP.