Low androgen levels appear to be linked to the development of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in male kidney transplant recipients, new research suggests.
Among 243 men who did not have diabetes prior to undergoing kidney transplantation, levels of both dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone were inversely related to the risk for developing diabetes the next 5 years.
"These results suggest that androgen insufficiency could play a role in the frequent deterioration of the glucose metabolism after kidney transplantation," Suzanne P. Stam and colleagues wrote in Diabetes Care.
However, "our study has unfortunately no direct clinical findings as it was of an observational nature," Stam told this news organization. "As a result, we can say that we have observed an association and have not established a causal relationship. So based on our study alone there is not a reason to start screening for low androgen values."
Previous data have suggested that failure of pancreatic beta cell secretion of insulin plays a role in PTDM. In addition, DHT appears to act on the androgen receptor in pancreatic beta cells to enhance insulin secretion, while testosterone deficiency has been shown to play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes in aging males and in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy.
