Serum adrenal androgens (AAs), including androstenedione (?4A) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), have been\r\nreported to be lower in female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with early disease. Few data are available on hormonal status\r\nof women before the onset of clinical rheumatoid arthritis (pre-RA). A broad baseline panel of serum adrenal and sex steroids\r\nwas compared in 36 female pre-RA to 144 matched cohort control (CN) subjects to determine differences in their mean values\r\nand in patterns of hormonal correlations. Study subjects having lower versus higher baseline serum cortisol levels than the total\r\ngroupâ��s mean value were also analyzed separately to investigate differences in their hormonal levels and correlational patterns. In\r\ntotal subjects, mean (�±SE) ?4A level (nmol/L) was lower (P = 0.018) in 28 pre-RA cases (6.4�±0.40) versus 108CN(7.8�±0.28). The\r\nsignificant (P = 0.013) difference was restricted to 9 pre-RA versus 53CN subjects having lower cortisol levels (5.6 �± 0.73 versus\r\n8.0 �± 0.42 nmol/L, resp.). In total subjects, no significant difference was found between study subjects in their bivariate correlations\r\nof the hormonal panel variables, unlike results found in the subgroups stratified by lower versus higher cortisol levels. A subgroup\r\nof pre-RA females may have relative adrenal cortical insufficiency, as reflected by lower ?4A, especially observed among those\r\nsubjects with lower cortisol levels.
Loading....