title: [Study of plasma androgens in women with autoimmune diseases].
abstract: The exact significance of a reported androgen deficiency in women with lupus has not yet been determined. The authors decided to study plasma androgen concentrations not only in lupus, but also in other auto-immune diseases as well as non-auto -immune diseases. 43 patients (rheumatoid arthritis (RA): 10; systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): 11; multiple sclerosis (MS): 11; patients without auto-immune disease: 11) were compared to 13 normal women. The age and the hormone concentrations of these different groups were compared by analysis of variance and by the Kruskal-Wallis test. A statistically significant reduction in androgen levels was only detected in the women with lupus. It therefore appears that the androgen deficiency is not a non-specific consequence of any disease, that it does not represent a predisposing factor for auto-immune disease in general, but that it is specific for lupus.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone
vernacular_title: Etude des androgènes plasmatiques chez les femmes atteintes de maladies auto-immunes.