Androgen replacement therapy in male patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
A hypogonadic condition characterized by low serum testosterone levels has been identified in male patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Seven men with active RA were treated daily for 6 months with oral testosterone undecanoate plus a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug in an attempt to evaluate the immunologic response, the overall clinical response, and the sex hormone response to such replacement therapy. At the end of the 6 months, there was a significant increase in serum testosterone levels (P less than 0.05), an increase in the number of CD8+ T cells, and a decrease in the CD4+:CD8+ T cell ratio. The IgM rheumatoid factor concentration decreased significantly (P less than 0.05). There was a concurrent significant reduction in the number of affected joints (P less than 0.05) and in the daily intake of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (P less than 0.01). The well-known immunosuppressive action of androgens probably contributed to our findings in these RA patients.
Cutolo
M
M
Department of Rheumatology, University of Genoa, Italy.
Balleari
E
E
Giusti
M
M
Intra
E
E
Accardo
S
S
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone