Serum cortisol and testosterone levels in idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy.
BACKGROUND
The preferential occurrence of idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (ICSC) in males with a typical Type A personality and behavior and a relative absence in females is a possible indicator towards the role of serum cortisol and /or the male sex hormone testosterone.


OBJECTIVE
To study levels of cortisol and testosterone in ICSC.


METHODS
Case-control study in a tertiary care teaching hospital.


METHODS
The study was conducted on 23 cases of ICSC. Twelve patients with unilateral sudden painless loss of vision of less than one month duration served as controls. Serum cortisol and testosterone levels at 8.00 a.m. were estimated by radioimmunoassay in both groups.


METHODS
Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 13.0 software. Independent Sample t-test was applied to analyze statistical significance between the two groups.


RESULTS
Mean age of patients with ICSC was 37.1 +/- 9.7 years and 96% of the patients were males. Mean serum cortisol levels were significantly higher (P=0.002) in patients with ICSC i.e., 495.02 +/- 169.47 nano moles/liter (nmol/L) as compared to controls i.e., 362.25 +/- 51.54 nmol/L. Mean serum testosterone levels were 3.85 +/- 1.81 nano grams/ml (ngm/ml) and 4.23 +/- 1.89 ngm/ml in cases and controls respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.58).


CONCLUSIONS
ICSC is associated with elevated 8.00 a.m. serum cortisol levels. However, mean serum testosterone levels in both patients of ICSC and controls were within normal range.
Zakir
Shaik M
SM
Retina Service, Institute of Ophthalmology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. shaikmohammedzakir98@yahoo.co.in
Shukla
M
M
Simi
Zaka-Ur-Rab
ZU
Ahmad
J
J
Sajid
Mahmood
M
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D056833:Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / Q000097:blood*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D013739:Testosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone