Metabolic disorders in patients with drug-induced hypogonadism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/AMB-2025-0055Keywords:
prostate cancer, metabolic syndrome, hypogonadism, androgen deprivation therapyAbstract
Introduction: Prostate cancer is among the most common types of cancer in men. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has become one of the main treatment modalities, leading to drug-induced hypogonadism. Although male hypogonadism is recognized as a risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome, the influence of ADT on metabolic parameters in prostate cancer patients has not been fully investigated. The aim of the present study was to analyze metabolic disturbances in prostate cancer patients on ADT and compare them with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed between October 2022 and March 2024 investigating anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol in prostate cancer patients on ADT (n=28) and healthy men (n=18). Results: At a similar age (67.5±8.5 years in prostate cancer patients and 65.6±8.6 years in controls), a significantly higher weight (93.7±8.1 kg vs 79.0±6.5 kg) and body mass index (31.38±4.86 kg/m2 vs 27.70±2.83 kg/m2) was observed among patients with prostate cancer compared to healthy men. Mean waist circumference of patients on ADT was 113.1±12.5 cm, significantly exceeding mean waist of the controls – 102.2±9.1 cm, (p<0.005). Higher triglyceride levels (2.11±1.75 mmol/l) were found in the patient group compared to controls (1.37±0.84 mmol/l), as well as lower HDL levels (1.41±0.38 mmol/l in patients on ADT vs 1.50±0.27 mmol/l in healthy men), both with borderline statistical significance. There was no statistically significant difference in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol value. There was an inverse relationship between serum testosterone and some anthropometric parameters such as: body weight (r -0.506; p<0.01); BMI (r -0.46; p<0.01); waist circumference (r -0.433; p<0.01). We also found inverse correlations of testosterone level with that of fasting glucose (r -0.479; p<0.01) and HOMA-IR (r -0.444; p<0.01). No significant differences in blood pressure values between patients and healthy controls were registered. Conclusion: Our results confirm the metabolic risk and highlight the need for investigation, follow-up and timely treatment of metabolic disturbances, especially lipid and carbohydrate disorders in men with prostate cancer undergoing hormone therapy.
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