Profile of sex hormones in male patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective: To study the profile of sex hormones in male patients with syste mic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Method: Serum prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), follicle-s timulating 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 rat io 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 disea se and serositis than those with normal androgen levels. Disease flares, on the other hand, were not significantly more frequent in these patients. Al though PRL or T levels per se did not correlate with disease activity in ou r patients, the ratio of PRL to T showed a significant correlation with SLE DAI scores (rho = 0.42, P = 0.01). Conclusions: Hypoandrogenism is present in some male patients with SLE and may be relevant in disease pathogenesis. However, whether these hormonal ab normalities are intrinsic to SLE or the consequence of any non-specific chr onic disorders cannot be distinguished from the current data. Further studi es involving a larger number of subjects and inclusion of other disease con trols are needed.