Venous sinus thrombosis associated with androgens in a healthy young man

Effects of Exogenous Androgens on Platelet Activity and Their Thrombogenic Potential in Supraphysiological Administration: A Literature Review

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), simply called “androgens”, represent the most widespread drugs used to enhance performance and appearance in a sporting environment. High-dosage and/or long-term AAS administration has been associated frequently with significant alterations in the cardiovascular system, some of these with severe endpoints. The induction of a prothrombotic state is probably the most life-threatening consequence, suggested by numerous case reports in AAS-abusing athletes, and by a considerable number of human and animal studies assessing the influence of exogenous androgens on hemostasis. Despite over fifty years of research, data regarding the thrombogenic potential of exogenous androgens are still scarce. The main reason is the limited possibility of conducting human prospective studies. However, human observational studies conducted in athletes or patients, in vitro human studies, and animal experiments have pointed out that androgens in supraphysiological doses induce enhanced platelet activity and thrombopoiesis, leading to increased platelet aggregation. If this tendency overlaps previously existing coagulation and/or fibrinolysis dysfunctions, it may lead to a thrombotic diathesis, which could explain the multitude of thromboembolic events reported in the AAS-abusing population. The influence of androgen excess on the platelet activity and fluid–coagulant balance remains a subject of debate, urging for supplementary studies in order to clarify the effects on hemostasis, and to provide new compelling evidence for their claimed thrombogenic potential.

Management of venous thromboembolism in athletes

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common condition with high associated morbidity and mortality. Athletes have unique VTE risk factors compared with the general population, and may have a higher than anticipated risk of thrombosis. Anticoagulant treatment poses additional challenges in athletes, as these individuals usually wish to return to sporting activities without delay. In addition, those athletes who engage in contact sports may have bleeding complications with extended anticoagulation. In this paper, we discuss VTE risk factors in athletes, the impact of exertion on haemostasis, measures which could be adopted to mitigate VTE risks in these highly active individuals and options to deal with bleeding risks from anticoagulation during injury-prone sporting activities.

A Case Study of Deep Vein Thrombosis of the Right Internal Jugular Vein in a Healthy 21-Year-Old Male

We are reporting a case of a healthy 21-year-old male, with no significant past medical history, who was found to have an incidental nonocclusive deep vein thrombosis in the right internal jugular vein detected on a head MRI previously ordered for work-up of headaches. A follow-up upper extremity venous Doppler ultrasound confirmed the presence of a partially occlusive deep vein thrombosis in the right jugular vein. The case presented is unique for the reason that the patient is young and has no prior risk factor, personal or familial, for venous thrombosis except for associated polycythemia on clinical presentation.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: Prognostic and Therapeutic Significance of an Early Radiologic Diagnosis

We describe the CT and MRI patterns of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) on the basis of the venous angioarchitecture and the underlying pathophysiological mechanism. We also investigated if any radiologic data exist to establish which patients can be followed conservatively and which warrant endovascular treatment.

The clinical, CT-CTA and MRI-MRA findings of 11 patients (2 men; 9 women; 24 to 69 years-old) with CVST were reviewed. The morphological patterns of CVST were divided into two major groups: Vascular signs: spontaneous sinusal hyperdensity (9); spontaneous all-sequences hyperintensity (4); venous engorgement (9); empty delta sign (4); lack of sinusal contrast-enhancement (3); delayed sinusal transit-time (11); lack of flow-related signal (3). Parenchymal signs: mass effect and cortical sulcal effacement (8), white matter edema (7), venous ischemia (6), haemorrhagic infarct (3), breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (4), hydrocephalus (2).

The clinical and radiologic pictures are related to cerebral venous angioarchitecture and underlying pathophysiologic mechanism of venous thrombosis. Reversibility of clinical symptoms and parenchymal lesions is far more frequent, because vessel damage slowly and progressively develops, whereas damage to brain tissue occurs later. Consequently, a prompt CT-MRI diagnosis may allow a good prognosis. Treatment using selective sinusal instillation of urokinase is considered only when the patient clinically and radiologically does not improve within the first two weeks after heparinization.

Cortical venous thrombosis following exogenous androgen use for bodybuilding

There are only a few reports of patients developing cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after androgen therapy. We present a young man who developed cortical venous thrombosis after using androgens to increase muscle mass. He was hospitalised for parasthesia and dyspraxia in the left hand followed by a generalised tonic-clonic seizure. At admission, he was drowsy, not fully orientated, had sensory inattention, pronation drift and a positive extensor response, all on the left side. The patient had been using anabolic steroids (dainabol 20 mg/day) for the last month for bodybuilding. CT angiography showed a right cortical venous thrombosis. Anticoagulation therapy was started with intravenous heparin for 11 days and oral anticoagulation (warfarin) thereafter. A control CT angiography 4 months later showed resolution of the thrombosis. He recovered fully.

Androgenic anabolic steroid abuse and the cardiovascular system

Abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has been linked to a variety of different cardiovascular side effects. In case reports, acute myocardial infarction is the most common event presented, but other adverse cardiovascular effects such as left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced left ventricular function, arterial thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and several cases of sudden cardiac death have also been reported. However, to date there are no prospective, randomized, interventional studies on the long-term cardiovascular effects of abuse of AAS. In this review we have studied the relevant literature regarding several risk factors for cardiovascular disease where the effects of AAS have been scrutinized:(1) Echocardiographic studies show that supraphysiologic doses of AAS lead to both morphologic and functional changes of the heart. These include a tendency to produce myocardial hypertrophy (Fig. 3), a possible increase of heart chamber diameters, unequivocal alterations of diastolic function and ventricular relaxation, and most likely a subclinically compromised left ventricular contractile function. (2) AAS induce a mild, but transient increase of blood pressure. However, the clinical significance of this effect remains modest. (3) Furthermore, AAS confer an enhanced pro-thrombotic state, most prominently through an activation of platelet aggregability. The concomitant effects on the humoral coagulation cascade are more complex and include activation of both pro-coagulatory and fibrinolytic pathways. (4) Users of AAS often demonstrate unfavorable measurements of vascular reactivity involving endothelial-dependent or endothelial-independent vasodilatation. A degree of reversibility seems to be consistent, though. (5) There is a comprehensive body of evidence documenting that AAS induce various alterations of lipid metabolism. The most prominent changes are concomitant elevations of LDL and decreases of HDL, effects that increase the risk of coronary artery disease. And finally, (6) the use of AAS appears to confer an increased risk of life-threatening arrhythmia leading to sudden death, although the underlying mechanisms are still far from being elucidated. Taken together, various lines of evidence involving a variety of pathophysiologic mechanisms suggest an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in users of anabolic androgenic steroids.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis risk factors

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon disease marked by clotting of blood in cerebral venous, or dural sinuses, and, in rare cases, cortical veins. It is a rare but potentially fatal cause of acute neurological deterioration previously related to otomastoid, orbit, and central face cutaneous infections. After the advent of antibiotics, it is more often related to neoplasm, pregnancy, puerperium, systemic diseases, dehydration, intracranial tumors, oral contraceptives, and coagulopathies are the most common causes, but in 30% of cases no underlying etiology can be identified. It has been found in association with fibrous thyroiditis, jugular thrombosis after catheterization, or idiopathic jugular vein stenosis. Other factors include surgery, head trauma, arterio-venous malformations, infection, paraneoplastic, and autoimmune disease. This article presents a comprehensive review of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis etiologies.

Pulmonary Embolism Associated With Protein C Deficiency and Abuse of Anabolic-androgen Steroids

We present the case of a 19-year-old male athlete with protein C deficiency who developed proximal deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism while abusing anabolic-androgenic steroids. Anabolic-androgenic steroids have been reported to have anticoagulatory and profibrinolytic effects in patients with protein C deficiency. Despite these antithrombotic effects, the patient developed repeated venous thromboembolism during treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin. The net effect of anabolic-androgenic steroids on the haemostatic system may change from antithrombotic to prothrombotic in male abusers of anabolic steroids with protein C deficiency.

Comparison of the effects of tibolone and estrogen therapy on hemostasis in surgical menopause: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effects of unopposed estrogen (E) and tibolone therapy on coagulation and natural anticoagulant systems in surgical menopause.

DESIGN

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

SETTING

University hospital clinic in Turkey.

PATIENT(S)

Ninety healthy surgically postmenopausal women.

INTERVENTION(S)

Ninety surgically postmenopausal women were randomized into three groups: unopposed conjugated ET (0.625 mg/d, group 1), tibolone (2.5 mg/d, group 2), and identical tablets of placebo (group 3).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Effects on parameters in the clotting cascade at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment.

RESULT(S)

After 6 months, fibrinogen, lipoprotein (a), and factor VIIa were decreased, and activated partial thromboplastin time was increased significantly in the ET group compared with in the placebo group. However, tibolone significantly decreased only the serum levels of factor VIIa and factor IX and prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time, compared with placebo group. In addition, conjugated ET caused a significantly greater decrease in serum fibrinogen level than did tibolone.

CONCLUSION(S)

Neither E nor tibolone therapy led to activation of coagulation in the surgically menopausal women. Both preparations changed the overall hemostatic balance to a more fibrinolytic state.

Subtle computed tomography abnormalities in cerebral deep sinus thrombosis

A patient with cerebral deep sinus thrombosis, which was not diagnosed on the first examination, is reported. A 46-year-old woman presented with headache and vomiting. Neurological examination and a brain computed tomography (CT) scan showed no obvious abnormal findings. The patient suffered disturbed consciousness on the day after the examination, and was admitted to our emergency centre. A CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ischaemic lesion in the left basal ganglia, suggesting deep sinus occlusion. Anticoagulant therapy was administered. One day after admission, a CT scan showed a haematoma and severe brain swelling in the same region. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a straight sinus occlusion. Intracranial pressure was not controlled with hypothermia, and the patient died 25 days after admission. Review of the initial CT scan revealed subtle, early findings of deep venous thrombosis that were missed on first examination.

Homocysteine induced cardiovascular events: a consequence of long term anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse

OBJECTIVES

The long term effects (>20 years) of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use on plasma concentrations of homocysteine (HCY), folate, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index, urea, creatinine, haematocrit (HCT), vitamin B12, and urinary testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, were examined in a cohort of self-prescribing bodybuilders.

METHODS

Subjects (n = 40) were divided into four distinct groups: (1) AAS users still using AAS (SU; n = 10); (2) AAS users abstinent from AAS administration for 3 months (SA; n = 10); (3) non-drug using bodybuilding controls (BC; n = 10); and (4) sedentary male controls (SC; n = 10).

RESULTS

HCY levels were significantly higher in SU compared with BC and SC (p<0.01), and with SA (p<0.05). Fat free mass was significantly higher in both groups of AAS users (p<0.01). Daily energy intake (kJ) and daily protein intake (g/day) were significantly higher in SU and SA (p<0.05) compared with BC and SC, but were unlikely to be responsible for the observed HCY increases. HCT concentrations were significantly higher in the SU group (p<0.01). A significant linear inverse relationship was observed in the SU group between SHBG and HCY (r = -0.828, p<0.01), indicating a possible influence of the sex hormones in determining HCY levels.

CONCLUSIONS

With mounting evidence linking AAS to adverse effects on some clotting factors, the significantly higher levels of HCY and HCT observed in the SU group suggest long term AAS users have increased risk of future thromboembolic events.

Androgen-induced cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in a young body builder: case report

Background

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an infrequent disease with a variety of causes. Pregnancy, puerperium, contraceptive pills and intracranial infections are the most common causes. The patient may present with headache, focal neurological deficits and seizures.

The clinical outcome is highly variable and treatment with heparin is advised.

Case presentation

The patient is a 22 year old male who presented with headache, repeated vomiting and papilledema.

He was a bodybuilder doing exercise since 5 years ago, who had used nandrolone decaonoate 25 milligrams intramuscularly during the previous 5 months. Brain MRI and MRV showed superior sagital and transverse sinus thrombosis and extensive investigations did not reveal any known cause.

Conclusions

We suggested that androgen was the predisposing factor in our patient. Androgens may increase coagulation factors or platelet activity and cause arterial or venous thrombosis.

As athletes may hide using androgens it should be considered as a predisposing factor for thrombotic events in such patients.

Tibolone, oral or transdermal hormone replacement and colour Doppler analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the plasma thromboxane, the plasma viscosity and the Doppler flow modifications induced by tibolone and by oral or transdermal continuous combined hormone replacement therapy.

METHODS

Forty-two post-menopausal patients underwent either on: oral daily treatment with tibolone (2.5 mg) (Group I; n= 14); or continuous oral administration of 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens + medroxyprogesterone 5 mg per day (Group II; n = 14 ); or continuous estradiol transdermal supplementation, at a dose of 50 microg per day, + medroxyprogesterone 5 mg per day (Group III; n = 14 ). The duration of the study was 6 months and the patients were submitted to transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation of pelvic organs; Doppler analysis of the uterine, internal carotid and ophthalmic arteries; thromboxane and plasma viscosity assays in basal condition, and at 1, 3 and 6 months from the beginning of the study.

RESULTS

Although the endometrial thickness increased significantly, there were no cases in which it exceeded the normal range (< or = 5 mm). In all the three groups, the pulsatility index of the uterine, internal carotid and ophthalmic arteries significantly decreased during the therapy showing a reduced impedance since the first month of treatment. Similar variations were observed for the peak systolic blood flow velocity of the internal carotid and ophthalmic arteries. Hormone replacement therapy and tibolone induced a deep, significant and rapid decrease in plasma thromboxane and plasma viscosity levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Hormone replacement therapy and tibolone seem to have beneficial effects on vascular and hemorrheological parameters.

Androgens and cardiovascular disease

Globally, cardiovascular disease will continue causing most human deaths for the foreseeable future. The consistent gender gap in life span of approximately 5.6 yr in all advanced economies must derive from gender differences in age-specific cardiovascular death rates, which rise steeply in parallel for both genders but 5-10 yr earlier in men. The lack of inflection point at modal age of menopause, contrasting with unequivocally estrogen-dependent biological markers like breast cancer or bone density, makes estrogen protection of premenopausal women an unlikely explanation. Limited human data suggest that testosterone exposure does not shorten life span in either gender, and oral estrogen treatment increases risk of cardiovascular death in men as it does in women. Alternatively, androgen exposure in early life (perinatal androgen imprinting) may predispose males to earlier onset of atherosclerosis. Following the recent reevaluation of the estrogen-protection orthodoxy, empirical research has flourished into the role of androgens in the progression of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need to better understand androgen receptor (AR) coregulators, nongenomic androgen effects, tissue-specific metabolic activation of androgens, and androgen sensitivity. Novel therapeutic targets may arise from understanding how androgens enhance early plaque formation and cause vasodilatation via nongenomic androgen effects on vascular smooth muscle, and how tissue-specific variations in androgen effects are modulated by AR coregulators as well as metabolic activation of testosterone to amplify (via 5alpha-reductase to form dihydrotestosterone acting on AR) or diversify (via aromatization to estradiol acting upon estrogen receptor alpha/beta) the biological effects of testosterone on the vasculature. Observational studies show that blood testosterone concentrations are consistently lower among men with cardiovascular disease, suggesting a possible preventive role for testosterone therapy, which requires critical evaluation by further prospective studies. Short-term interventional studies show that testosterone produces a modest but consistent improvement in cardiac ischemia over placebo, comparable to the effects of existing antianginal drugs. By contrast, testosterone therapy has no beneficial effects in peripheral arterial disease but has not been evaluated in cerebrovascular disease. Erectile dysfunction is most frequently caused by pelvic arterial insufficiency due to atherosclerosis, and its sentinel relationship to generalized atherosclerosis is insufficiently appreciated. The commonality of risk factor patterns and mechanisms (including endothelial dysfunction) suggests that the efficacy of antiatherogenic therapy is an important challenge with the potential to enhance men's motivation for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Effects of tibolone and continuous combined hormone replacement therapy on parameters in the clotting cascade: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of tibolone and continuous combined HRT (ccHRT) on parameters in the clotting cascade.

DESIGN

Randomized, double-blind study.

SETTING

Hemostasis unit of a university hospital clinic in Germany.

PATIENT(S)

Sixty healthy postmenopausal women.

INTERVENTION(S)

Twenty-nine subjects were treated with tibolone (2.5 mg/d) and 31 with oral ccHRT containing estradiol (2 mg/d) + estriol (1 mg/d) + norethindrone acetate (1 mg/d).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Effects on parameters in the clotting cascade at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment.

RESULT(S)

Tibolone increased fibrinolysis parameters without significantly altering coagulation parameters. Treatment with ccHRT resulted in a stimulating effect on parameters of both fibrinolysis and coagulation. Tibolone showed a stronger reduction of factor VII activity; less reduction of AT-III, protein C activity, and protein S activity; stronger increase of the activated partial thromboplastin time, plasminogen and plasminogen-antiplasminogen complexes; and less increase of D-Dimer than ccHRT. Both preparations similarly reduced climacteric complaints, whereas tibolone showed less breast complaints than ccHRT.

CONCLUSION(S)

This study confirms that tibolone, and to a lesser extent also ccHRT, changes hemostasis parameters toward a more fibrinolytic profile, which may diminish the risk of venous thrombosis.

Medico-legal aspects of doping

Abuse of anabolic steroids is an increasing problem not only among athletes but also body-builders and teenagers. A fast-developing black market has been established since the opening of the borders to eastern Europe. Medico-legal aspects of doping are addressed with particular reference to toxicology and pathology. Constituents of anabolic steroids bought on the black market were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; the products did not contain the expected ingredients in 35% of cases. Long-term effects and fatalities because of anabolic steroid abuse are reported here based on our own case material and a literature review. In our own cases, severe cardiovascular side-effects developed after long-term abuse of Dianabol (methandrostenolone) and Oral-Turinabol (chlordehydromethyltestosterone), i.e. myocardial infarction, stroke, organomegaly and/or severe atherosclerosis. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications (cardiotoxic effect, risk of atherosclerosis, thrombogenic risk) is discussed based on the available literature reports following fatal outcome after the abuse of anabolic steroids.

Androgen use by athletes: a reevaluation of the health risks

It has been estimated that 1 to 3 million male and female athletes in the United States have used androgens. Androgen use has been associated with liver dysfunction, altered blood lipids, infertility, musculotendinous injury, and psychological abnormalities. Although androgens have been available to athletes for over 50 years, there is little evidence to show that their use will cause any long-term detriment; furthermore, the use of moderate doses of androgens results in side effects that are largely benign and reversible. It is our contention that the incidence of serious health problems associated with the use of androgens by athletes has been overstated.

When Competitive Bodybuilders Collapse

In brief Numerous physiologic derangements can result when body-builders attempt to augment their muscle definition by using diuretics, potassium supplements, and dietary restrictions. A case report describes a 27- year-old male professional bodybuilder who employed these strategies and presented with profound muscle weakness and muscle cramps. He was found to have life-threatening hyperkalemia, ECG changes, mild rhabdomyolysis, and prerenal azotemia. Vigorous volume expansion and potassium-lowering maneuvers reversed the skeletal muscle and cardiac complications. The patient's symptoms resembled those of another professional bodybuilder who died after employing similar drug and diet strategies.