MRI in multiple sclerosis during the menstrual cycle: relationship with sex hormone patterns.
We investigated MRI activity in MS during the menstrual cycle in relation to physiologic sex hormone fluctuations. Eight women with relapsing-remitting MS were submitted to serial brain gadolinium-enhanced MRI examinations over a 3-month period in two alternate follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The ratio of progesterone/17-beta-estradiol during the luteal phase was significantly associated with both number (r = 0.6, p = 0.03) and volume (r = 0.7, p = 0.009) of enhancing lesions, providing support for a role of these hormones as immunomodulatory factors in MS.
Pozzilli
C
C
Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Falaschi
P
P
Mainero
C
C
Martocchia
A
A
D'Urso
R
R
Proietti
A
A
Frontoni
M
M
Bastianello
S
S
Filippi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D004967:Estrogens