Testicular function in active ankylosing spondylitis. Therapeutic response to human chorionic gonadotrophin
Tapia-Serrano, R.; Jimenez-Balderas, F.J.; Murrieta, S.; Bravo-Gatica, C.; Guerra, R.; Mintz, G.
Journal of Rheumatology 18(6): 841-848
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 1843848 Document Number: 378608
Testicular function was studied in 22 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with serum measurements of hormone levels, seminal fluid analysis and testicular reserve test. Results were correlated with disease activity. The abnormal findings were elevated luteinizing hormone (LH), inversion of estradiol/testosterone ratio (E2:T) and diminished testicular reserve for esteosterone (T) and slightly increased for estradion (E2). Nine patients with severe active AS received biweekly 2,500 IU of human chorionic gonadotrophin injections with a resulting increase in E2 serum levels. When the values for E2 reached 40 pg/ml or higher, there was a decrease of the sedimentation rate (p < 0.05) and a reversal to normal of the E2:T ratio. This was accompanied by an improvement in AS at the 10th week that lasted up to 9 weeks after discontinution of treatment. Our findings suggest a possible role of sex hormones in the physiopathogenesis of AS and offers a possible therapeutid alternative.