Profile of sex hormones in male patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objective: To study the profile of sex hormones in male patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Method: Serum prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were obtained from 35 males with SLE and compared with 33 age-matched normal controls. Results: No significant differences in serum T, E2, PRL levels and E2/T ratio were observed between male SLE patients and controls. However, patients with SLE had significantly higher levels of gonadotrophins (FSH, LH). Five (14%) SLE patients, but none of the controls, had both low testosterone and elevated LH. Hypoandrogenic male SLE patients did not have overt features of hypogonadism but had a higher prevalence of central nervous system disease and serositis than those with normal androgen levels. Disease flares, on the other hand, were not significantly more frequent in those patients. Although PRL or T levels per se did not correlate with disease activity in our patients, the ratio of PRL to T showed a significant correlation with SLEDAI scores (ρ = 0.47, P = 0.01). Conclusions: Hypoandrogenism is present in some male patients with SLE and may be relevant in disease pathogenesis. However, whether these hormonal abnormalities are intrinsic to SLE or the consequence of any non-specific chronic disorders cannot be distinguished from the current data. Further studies involving a larger number of subjects and inclusion of other disease controls are needed.