[Rupture of the sinus of Valsalva aneurysm complicated by infective endocarditis -- diagnosis difficulties].

Aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva is a rare congenital heart disease. It constitutes about 0.14%-1.

[Assessment of possible correlations between endogenous androgens and the extent of coronary heart disease and left ventricle function].

In men, androgens and especially testosterone are considered responsible for the much higher rate of coronary artery disease. The male gender is an independent coronary artery disease risk factor. An adverse correlation between endogenous testosterone levels and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis has been demonstrated in just one study.

An assessment of correlations between endogenous sex hormone levels and the extensiveness of coronary heart disease and the ejection fraction of the left ventricle in males.

This clinical study investigated the possible associations of male sex hormone with the extensiveness of coronary artery lesions, coronary heart disease risk factors and ejection fraction of the heart. Ninety six Caucasian male subjects were recruited, 76 with positive and 20 with negative coronary angiograms. Early morning, prior to haemodynamic examination all of them had determined levels of total testosterone, free testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), oestradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, plasma lipids, fibrinogen and glucose.