[Hormonal changes in fertile women with quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Alteraciones hormonales en mujeres fértiles con lupus eritematoso sistémico quiescente.

The hypophyseal-adrenal-ovarian axis was studied in 29 women of childbearing age with systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as in a control group of 14 healthy women. Hormonal levels were measured on days 7th and 21st of menstrual cycle. Women with systemic lupus erythematosus had not significatively lower testosterone levels, but progesterone and 17-alfa-hydroxiprogesterone levels were markedly lower when compared to controls. These facts suggest a decrease in progesterone levels, which could act as a predisposing factor for lupic disease.

[Increase in plasma androgens in menopausal women with rheumatoid polyarthritis]. / Elévation des androgènes plasmatiques chez les femmes ménopausées atteintes de polyarthrite rhumatoïde.

The concentrations of sex hormones were studied in 45 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patients were classified into two groups. Group I (premenopausal) consisted of 26 women and group II (postmenopausal) included 19 women. The two groups were compared with 40 control women (20 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal). Age and weight were comparable in the 2 groups (controls and patients). The average plasma concentrations of oestradiol, progesterone and androgens were comparable in group I (patients with RA) and the control group (premenopausal women). On the other hand, the plasma concentration of androgens was statistically significantly higher in patients in group II by comparison with the postmenopausal controls. It thus seems that a hyperandrogenic situation may occur in menopausal women with RA, and this might have a beneficial clinical effect on the disease.

Inadequate production of progesterone in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We have performed a longitudinal study of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis and adrenal function during the menstrual cycle in 26 women with inactive or quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in 21 healthy women as controls. In all women studied, the menstrual cycle was proved to be ovulatory by ultrasound imaging and detection of an appropriately elevated value of peak serum progesterone. Blood samples were obtained for hormonal assay on several days of the menstrual cycle studied. Patients with SLE had lower peak and day-7 postovulation serum progesterone concentrations which were both significantly lower than those found in controls, whereas no major differences were observed for any of the other hormones analysed. Although the significance of the inadequate production of progesterone we have observed in SLE women with inactive disease is not clear, our data seem to indicate that a relative deficiency of progesterone might be considered among the potential predisposing factors for development of SLE in women.

[The hormonal changes in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Alteraciones hormonales en mujeres postmenopáusicas con artritis reumatoide.

We have studied the levels of sexual hormones in 45 female patients suffering seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients were classified in two groups. Group 1 (premenopausal), was formed by 26 women and group 11 (postmenopausal) by 19 women. They were compared to 40 control women (20 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal). Age and body surface as similar in both groups. Mean estradiol, progesterone and androgen plasma levels in group 1 were similar to the premenopausal control group. On the contrary, group 11 patients presented a statistically significant increase in plasma androgen levels when compared to the postmenopausal control group. This seems to indicate that postmenopausal women suffering rheumatoid arthritis present a hyperandrogenic situation, which could have a beneficial effect on the clinical expression of the disease.

Increased apotranscobalamin II levels in rheumatoid arthritis.

The distribution of endogenous cobalamin among serum cobalamin-binding proteins was studied in 30 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 27 in clinical remission. The mean total serum cobalamin concentration (holo-transcobalamin I and II) was similar in both groups of patients, whereas mean apotranscobalamin II was significantly increased in patients with active RA. The clinical significance of this finding is not yet established but it might be a useful parameter for the evaluation of disease activity in RA.