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Effects of testosterone and nandrolone on cardiac function: a randomized, placebo-controlled study

Chung T, Kelleher S, Liu PY, Conway AJ, Kritharides L, Handelsman DJ

Clinical endocrinology, 2007

10 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Androgens have striking effects on skeletal muscle, but the effects on human cardiac muscle function are not well defined, neither has the role of metabolic activation (aromatization, 5alpha reduction) of testosterone on cardiac muscle been directly studied.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of testosterone and nandrolone, a non-amplifiable and non-aromatizable pure androgen, on cardiac muscle function in healthy young men.

DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, three-arm parallel group clinical trial.

SETTING: Ambulatory care research centre.

PARTICIPANTS: Healthy young men randomized into three groups of 10 men.

INTERVENTION: Weekly intramuscular injections of testosterone (200 mg mixed esters), nandrolone (200 mg nandrolone decanoate) or matching (2 ml arachis oil vehicle) placebo for 4 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comprehensive measures of cardiac muscle function involving transthoracic cardiac echocardiography measuring myocardial tissue velocity, peak systolic strain and strain rates, and bioimpedance measurement of cardiac output and systematic vascular resistance.

RESULTS: Left ventricular (LV) function (LV ejection fraction, LV modified TEI index), right ventricular (RV) function (ejection area, tricuspid annular systolic planar motion, RV modified TEI index) as well as cardiac afterload (mean arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance) and overall cardiac contractility (stroke volume, cardiac output) were within age- and…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 10 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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