Department of Rheumatology, Betanien Hospital, Skien, Norway.
Scand J Rheumatol. 2010 Mar;39(2):109-17. doi: 10.3109/03009740903270607.
Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) varies substantially during periods when luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels change, for example during pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. We wanted to investigate whether small fluctuations in these hormones could be associated with similar fluctuations in cytokines and disease activity in RA.
Disease activity markers, serum LH, FSH, and 24 cytokines were assessed on days 1 and 8 in 20 RA patients (median age 58 years, six males) and 19 controls (median age 56 years, six males).
Percentage changes in LH and FSH correlated positively with percentage changes in key proinflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha (LH r = 0.737, p = 0.0007; FSH r = 0.680, p = 0.001) and interleukin (IL)-1beta (LH r = 0.515, p = 0.050; FSH r = 0.749, p = 0.0008). Similar correlations were observed with IL-2, IL-2R, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, MIP-1beta, and eotaxin, but not with the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, in RA and not in controls. Percentage changes in LH, FSH, and cytokines were not correlated with percentage changes of several disease activity markers but were correlated positively with cross-sectional levels of disease activity markers [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain, VAS global (physician/patient), and the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ)].
The significant associations between percentage changes in LH and FSH and percentage changes in key cytokines and several cross-sectional markers of disease activity may indicate that LH and FSH influence crucial points of the cytokine cascade in RA. This may help to explain, partially, why disease activity initiates or worsens during periods of increased LH and FSH, such as the postpartum period and the menopause.
类风湿关节炎（RA）的疾病活动度在促黄体生成激素（LH）和卵泡刺激素（FSH）水平变化期间会发生很大变化，例如在怀孕期间、产后和更年期。我们想研究这些激素的微小波动是否与 RA 中的细胞因子和疾病活动度的类似波动有关。
在 20 名 RA 患者（中位年龄 58 岁，6 名男性）和 19 名对照者（中位年龄 56 岁，6 名男性）的第 1 天和第 8 天，评估疾病活动标志物、血清 LH、FSH 和 24 种细胞因子。
LH 和 FSH 的百分比变化与关键促炎细胞因子（如肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）α）的百分比变化呈正相关。（LH r = 0.737，p = 0.0007；FSH r = 0.680，p = 0.001）和白细胞介素（IL）-1β（LH r = 0.515，p = 0.050；FSH r = 0.749，p = 0.0008）。在 RA 中而非对照组中，也观察到与 IL-2、IL-2R、IL-8、单核细胞趋化蛋白（MCP）-1、巨噬细胞炎性蛋白（MIP）-1α、MIP-1β和嗜酸性粒细胞趋化因子相似的相关性，但与抗炎细胞因子 IL-10 无关。LH、FSH 和细胞因子的百分比变化与几种疾病活动标志物的百分比变化无关，但与疾病活动标志物的横断面水平呈正相关[红细胞沉降率（ESR）、C 反应蛋白（CRP）、视觉模拟量表（VAS）疼痛、VAS 总体（医生/患者）和改良健康评估问卷（MHAQ）]。
LH 和 FSH 的百分比变化与关键细胞因子和几种疾病活动的横断面标志物的百分比变化之间的显著相关性可能表明 LH 和 FSH 影响 RA 中细胞因子级联的关键点。这可以部分解释为什么疾病活动度在 LH 和 FSH 增加期间开始或恶化，例如产后和更年期。
