Author/Editor     Poglajen, Gregor; Jensterle Sever, Mojca; Kravos, Nika Aleksandra; Janež, Andrej; Vrtovec, Bojan
Title     Low serum testosterone is associated with graft function early after heart transplantation
Type     članek
Publication year     2017
Volume     str. str.
ISSN     0902-0063 - Clinical transplantation
Language     eng
Abstract     Background We sought to investigate a correlation between serum testosterone levels and graft function early after heart transplantation. Methods In a cross-sectional study we measured serum testosterone levels 4 weeks after heart transplantation in 49 consecutive male recipients. Echocardiography was done to evaluate graft function. Low serum testosterone was defined as <11 nmol/L. Results Low serum testosterone was present in 21 (43%) recipients (Group A), and 28 (57%) had normal testosterone levels (Group B). The two groups did not differ in age and presence of renal dysfunction, arterial hypertension, diabetes or hyperlipidemia. Donor age and allograft ischemic time were not different between the two groups. Both groups had comparable tacrolimus through levels, dose of mycophenolate mophetil and methylprednisolone. Patients in Group A had significantly lower LVEF (58+-5% vs. 65+-6% vs. Group B, P=0.001) and TAPSE (1.3+-0.3 cm vs. 1.6+-0.3 cm in Group B, P=0.01). In comparison to Group B more patients in Group A were found to have low grade (1R) rejection (25% vs. 3%; P=0.02). Conclusion Low serum testosterone levels appear to be associated with impaired graft function and an increased incidence of low-grade rejection episodes early after heart transplantation.
Keywords     testosterone
heart transplantation
echocardiography
testoteron
presaditev srca
ehokardiografija