High Circulating Estrone and Low Testosterone Correlate with Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Men with Advanced Liver Disease

In a study of men with cirrhosis and low testosterone levels, researchers found that serum oestrone levels were significantly higher in men with cirrhosis compared to controls, and these levels were associated with worse liver disease severity as indicated by higher MELD scores, lower serum sodium, and lower haemoglobin levels. Conversely, serum testosterone levels were inversely correlated with MELD score and positively correlated with handgrip strength, physical activity, haemoglobin levels, and serum sodium. Dihydrotestosterone also showed similar correlations to testosterone. Elevated serum oestrone and low serum androgens, including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, were linked to adverse health outcomes in this group of men with advanced liver disease. The study suggests that serum oestrone could be a novel marker of poor health in this population, but further research is needed to determine if low androgens are simply markers or actual mediators of ill health.