title: Evaluating sex hormone levels in reproductive age women with multiple sclerosis and their relationship with disease severity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sex-related differences in the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) could be influenced by the sex hormones.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cohort (historical) study evaluated the sex hormone levels during menstrual cycle and their correlation with disease severity in MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with MS had significantly lower testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and prolactin levels than controls in the follicular and luteal phase but lower estradiol levels only in the follicular phase. A positive correlation coefficient between follicle stimulating hormone and disease severity, and a reverse correlation with estradiol were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hormone-related modulation of disease severity supports the suggestion that sex hormones play a role in MS disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Islamic Azad University, Najaf Abad Branch, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foroughipour
authors.forename: Vajihe
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Norbakhsh
authors.forename: Sara Hosseinpour
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Najafabadi
authors.forename: Rokhsareh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meamar
keywords: Disease severity; estradiol; hormones; multiple sclerosis; progesterone; testosterone; women