ABSTRACT
Objective To verify the presence of anti-ovary antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its possible correlations with serum levels of hormone profile and menstrual disturbances in patients with SLE.Methods Clinical data of 78 consecutive paticnts who fulfilled 4 or more of the ACR 1997 revised criteria for SLE were studied and compared with 40 age-matched healthy controls,including anti-ovary antibodies.Results 27 (34.6％ ) patients with SLE,and 1 (2.5％) of the healthy controls tested positive of anti-ovary antibodies.The levels of E2 and T and P decreased[ E2:( 80.96 ± 36.2 ) ng/L vs ( 118.53 ± 42.4 ) ng/L; T:( 3.85 ± 1.18 ) nmol/L vs ( 6.43 ± 2.28 ) nmol/L; P:( 1.37 ± 0.59 ) μg/L vs ( 3.92 ± 1.23 ) μg/L],and the levels of FSH and LH and PRL increased in SLE patients when compared with healthy controls [ FSH:( 19.17 ± 9.26)IU/L vs (10.18 ±7.27 )IU/L; LH:( 21.19 ± 12.44)IU/L vs (13.79 ±8.27)IU/L;PRL:(6.18 ± 2.27 ) μg/L vs (2.37 ±0.63)μg/L,P ＜0.05 orP ＜0.01].The higher SLEDAI score,higher rate of menstrual disturbances (6.3 ±2.8 vs 3.5 ± 1.7,81％ vs 47％,P ＜0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ) and decreased serum level of E2 [ (64.13 ± 26.36 ) ng/L vs ( 82.83 ± 28.71 ) ng/L,P ＜ 0.05 ]were found in SLE patients with anti-ovary antibodies positive than in SLE patients with anti-ovary antibodies negative.Conclusions The presence of anti-ovary antibodies was 34.6％ in SLE,and may correlate to decreased serum level of E2 and menstrual disturbance.