BLOOD DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE-SULFATE (DHEAS) LEVELS IN POLYMYALGIA-RHEUMATICA GIANT-CELL ARTERITIS AND PRIMARY FIBROMYALGIA

Blood levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in patients with: a) polymyalgia rheumatica/ giant cell arteritis (PMR:TA; N = 25), with and without cortisone deri vative treatment (N = 10 and N = 15, respectively); and b) primary fib romyalgia (PF; N = 15 The mean DHEAS levels were found to be significa ntly reduced in PMR: TA, compared to those in PF (Geom. mean 820 vs. 2 300 nmol/l, respectively, p < 0.001), and the reduction was more marke d in patients on cortisone derivative treatment. The DHEAS levels foun d in PF were found to be normal and consistent with those previously r eported in non-immune mediated rheumatological diseases such as osteoa rthritis, and in healthy subjects, using the same method of analysis. The low levels found inpatients with PM. TA are in accordance with tho se previously reported in immune-mediated diseases such as systemic lu pus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that dimi nution of DHEAS is a constant endocrinologic feature in these categori es of patients. The pathophysiological significance of these low DHEAS levels needs to be investigated.