Evaluating Sex Hormone Levels in Reproductive Age Women With Multiple Sclerosis and Their Relationship With Disease Severity



Foroughipour A¹ ; Norbakhsh V¹ ; Najafabadi SH² ; Meamar R^{3, 4}
Source: Journal of Research in Medical Sciences Published:2012

Abstract

Background: Sex-related differences in the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) could be influenced by the sex hormones. Materials and Methods: This cohort (historical) study evaluated the sex hormone levels during menstrual cycle and their correlation with disease severity in MS. Result: 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. Conclusion: The hormone-related modulation of disease severity supports the suggestion that sex hormones play a role in MS disease.