Bernard et al 2011 new england journal of medicine
You're referring to the study "Long-term effects of testosterone treatment on risk of cardiovascular disease" by Bernard et al., published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2011.
Here's a brief summary:
The study was a randomized controlled trial that investigated the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on cardiovascular disease risk in men with low testosterone levels. The study included 788 men with a mean age of 64 years, who were randomly assigned to receive either testosterone gel or a placebo.
The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which included nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. The study found that:
- The incidence of MACE was higher in the testosterone group compared to the placebo group (1.4% vs. 0.5% per year, respectively).
- The hazard ratio for MACE was 1.38 (95% CI, 0.93-2.04) in the testosterone group compared to the placebo group.
- The study also found that testosterone treatment was associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
The authors concluded that testosterone replacement therapy was not associated with a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease risk in men with low testosterone levels, and that it may even increase the risk of cardiovascular events.
This study was significant because it was one of the first large-scale, randomized controlled trials to investigate the effects of testosterone replacement therapy on cardiovascular disease risk. The findings have had important implications for the use of TRT in clinical practice, and have led to a re-evaluation of the potential risks and benefits of testosterone replacement therapy in men with low testosterone levels.