Testicular Sertoli cell function in ankylosing spondylitis

Autor(es)

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]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[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

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY; v. 32, n. 7, p. 1075-1079, JUL 2013.
• Citações Web of Science: 7

Resumo

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)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/12300-0 - Terapia anti-TNF em doenças autoimunes reumatológicas: abordagem de aspectos peculiares
• Beneficiário: Breno Pires de Almeida
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Iniciação Científica
• Processo FAPESP: 09/51897-5 - Terapia anti-TNF em doenças auto-imunes reumatológicas: abordagem de aspectos peculiares
• Beneficiário: Eloisa Silva Dutra de Oliveira Bonfá
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático