Salivary testosterone levels in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To measure salivary testosterone in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
We investigated concentrations of salivary testosterone in 13 women with active SLE and 47 women with inactive SLE, and in 72 healthy female controls.


RESULTS
We found a significant decrease in salivary testosterone concentrations in glucocorticoid-treated SLE patients (mean +/- SD 0.06 +/- 0.04 nmoles/liter) but no differences in concentrations in untreated patients (0.09 +/- 0.03 nmoles/liter), compared with the healthy controls (0.11 +/- 0.04 nmoles/liter).


CONCLUSIONS
Glucocorticoid treatment appears to cause a decrease in the salivary testosterone level. Measurement of salivary testosterone is a simple way of monitoring androgen metabolism in patients with SLE.
Navarro
M A
MA
Hormone Unit, Ciudad Sanitaria de Bellvitge, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain.
Vidaller
A
A
Ortolá
J B
JB
Bonnin
M R
MR
Pac
M V
MV
Moga
I
I
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008593:Menopause; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013739:Testosterone