The effect of statins on testosterone in men and women, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Schooling, C Mary; Au Yeung, Shiu Lun; Freeman, Guy; Cowling, Benjamin J

doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-57

Table 1 Characteristics of placebo-controlled randomized trials giving the effects of statins on testosterone

From: The effect of statins on testosterone in men and women, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Lead author/publicationyear/reference	Study					Participants				Authors: funding and affiliations
	Setting	Duration	Statin and daily dose	Testosterone assessment method	Comments	Men	Women	Mean age, years	Health status
						Statin/placebo (no. completed study)
Tobert 1982 [11]	Europe	4 weeks	Lovastatin, multiple doses	Various radio immunoassays		47/10^a	0	29	Healthy volunteers	Affiliations include MSD
Dobs 2000 [16]	US	24 weeks	Simvastatin 20/40 mg/pravastatin 40 mg	Radio immunoassay		85/28	0	40	Hypercholesterolemia	Affiliations include Merck
Dobs 2000 [15]	US	12 weeks	Simvastatin 80 mg	Radio immunoassay		37/39	0	45	High LDL cholesterol	Affiliations include Merck
Hyyppä 2003 [29]	Finland	12 weeks	Simvastatin 20 mg	Direct competitive immunoassay		120/120	0	48	Hypercholesterolemia	None given
Boehm 2004 [28]	Germany	3 months	Pravastatin 40 mg	Competitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay		6/9	4/3^b	65	Hypercholesterolemia	None given
Banaszewska 2007 [26]	Poland	12 weeks	Simvastatin 20 mg	Specific chemiluminescence assay	Also using OCPs	0	45/48	24	PCOS	NIH and drug donations
Banaszewska 2009 [27]	Poland	3 months	Simvastatin 20 mg	Specific electrochemiluminescence assay	Also using metformin	0	37/36	25	PCOS	NIH and Polish State Committee for Scientific Research
Sathyapalan 2009 [30]	UK	12 weeks	Atorvastatin 20 mg	Chemiluminescent immunoassay		0	19/18	28	PCOS	Pfizer
Kazerooni 2010 [32]	Iran	12 weeks	Simvastatin 20 mg	Radio immunoassay	Also using metformin	0	42/42	25	PCOS	None
Raja-Khan 2011 [31]	US	6 weeks	Atorvastatin 40 mg	Not given		0	9/11^c	33	PCOS	NIH, Penn State Univeristy, Pfizer
Rashidi 2011 [33]	Iran	8 weeks	Simvastatin 20 mg	Chemiluminescence assay	Also receiving IVF treatment	0	32/29	25	PCOS	Daru Darman Pars Co.

^aSubjects with missing data excluded, but number excluded not clearly given; at least two from the statin arm were excluded.
^bData not used because of an implausible value for testosterone at study end in the placebo group.
^cTwo subjects with missing data excluded, but not clear from which arm(s).
IVF = in vitro fertilization; MSD = Merck, Sharp and Dohme; NIH = National Institute of Health; OCP = oral contraceptives; PCOS = polycystic ovary syndrome.

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ISSN: 1741-7015

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