| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Almeida, Breno Pires
[1]
;
Schahin Saad, Carla Goncalves
[1]
;
Carlos Souza, Fernando Henrique
[1]
;
Bertacini Moraes, Julio Cesar
[1]
;
Nukumizu, Lucia Akemi
[1]
;
Trindade Viana, Vilma Santos
[1]
;
Bonfa, Eloisa
[1]
;
Silva, Clovis Artur
[1, 2, 3]
Total Authors: 8
|
| Affiliation: | [1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Div Rheumatol, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Pediat Reumatol Unit, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Disciplina Reumatol, Fac Med, BR-01246903 Sao Paulo - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY; v. 32, n. 7, p. 1075-1079, JUL 2013. |
| Web of Science Citations: | 7 |
| Abstract | |
To assess the testicular Sertoli cell function according to inhibin B levels in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and the possible effect of anti-TNF therapy on this hormone production, 20 consecutive AS patients and 24 healthy controls were evaluated. At study entry, AS patients were not receiving sulfasalazine/methotrexate and never have used biological/cytotoxic agents. They were assessed by serum inhibin B levels, hormone profile, urological examination, testicular ultrasound, seminal parameters, and clinical features. Ten of these patients received anti-TNF treatment and they were reevaluated for Sertoli function and disease parameters at 6 months. Four of them agreed to repeat sperm analysis. At study entry, the median of inhibin B (68 vs. 112.9 pg/mL, p = 0.111), follicle-stimulating hormone levels (3.45 vs. 3.65 IU/L, p = 0.795), and the other hormones was comparable in AS patients and controls (p > 0.05). Sperm analysis was similar in AS patients and controls (p > 0.05) with one AS patient presenting borderline low inhibin B levels. Further analysis at 6 months of the 10 patients referred for anti-TNF therapy, including one with borderline inhibin B, revealed that median inhibin B levels remained stable (116.5 vs. 126.5 pg/mL, p = 0.431) with a significant improvement in C-reactive protein (27.8 vs. 2.27 mg/L, p = 0.039). Sperm motility and concentration were preserved in the four patients who repeated this analysis after TNF blockage. In conclusion, this was the first study to report, using a specific marker, a normal testicular Sertoli cell function in AS patients with mild to moderate disease activity. (AU) | |