title: Serum 17-OH progesterone and free testosterone levels in women patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever: a pivotal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by short lived, febrile serosae inflammatory attacks. FMF has various effects in multiple systems and organs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, our aim was to evaluate adrenal steroidogenesis in female FMF patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 71 women in the study including 41 women with FMF and 30 women as healthy control group (HC group). Of 41 FMF patients, twenty were evaluated in attack period (AP-FMF group) whereas 21 of them were evaluated in attack-free period (AFP-FMF group). In all subjects; serum free testosterone, 17-OHP levels as hormones, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-18 as proinflammatory cytokines, CRP, fibrinogen, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as acute phase reactants were measured in samples of venous blood taken in the morning before breakfast.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum 17-OHP levels in AP-FMF group and AFP-FMF group were higher than in HC group (p < 0.001). A positive correlation was detected between serum levels of 17-OHP and IL-1 beta in FMF patients (p = 0.006; r = 0.486). There was no difference between FMF patients and HC group in terms of free testosterone levels (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed an increase in 17-OHP levels in FMF patients. These results may indicate that, regardless to the attack period adrenal steroidogenesis could be affected negatively in FMF patients.
authors: Departments of Biochemistry, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. drkdeveci@gmail.com.tr
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Deveci
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Gokakin
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Boztosun
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Deveci
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Senel
authors: A U
authors: AU
authors: Uslu
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Sancakdar
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D013739:Testosterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein