Liu P, Liu X, Wei D, et al. - Findings suggested a negative association of serum testosterone and androstenedione with coronary heart disease risk in Chinese rural males. This study lends some support to the use of hormone therapy in males with coronary heart disease, which may help to reduce the burden of coronary heart disease and related cardiovascular disease.

• The sample consisted of 6,178 participants. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect serum testosterone and androstenedione.

• The independent effects of testosterone and androstenedione on coronary heart disease were studied using logistic regression and restricted cubic splines.

• The interaction effects of testosterone or androstenedione with age on coronary heart disease were investigated using interactive plots.

• After adjusting for multiple variables, serum testosterone and androstenedione levels in men were found to be negatively associated with coronary heart disease.

• A one-unit increase in ln-testosterone and a one-unit increase in ln-androstenedione was associated with a 24% and 30% lower risk of coronary heart disease, respectively.

• Furthermore, increasing ln-testosterone and ln-androstenedione concentrations in males attenuated the positive association of age with coronary heart disease.