Evaluation of androgen-deficiency role in the pathogenesis of dry eye in women with sjogren's syndrome

Abstract EN

Objective : we measure the serum concentration of sex steroid hormones (androgens and testosterone ) in women with Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) to evaluate the androgen deficiency role as a pathognomonic factor of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye.

Also, we investigate whether these patients have elevated serum concentration of estrogens.

Methodology : blood was drawn from 31 women with primary and secondary SS and 26 age matched controls and it was analyzed for steroid concentrations by gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results : our results show that women with SS are androgen–deficient.

While SS was associated with significant reduction in the serum concentrations of androgen precursors[dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and 5-androstene-3α,17β-diol (5-diol)] (p < 0.005), Active androgen [dihydrotestestrone (DHT)] (p < 0.05) and conjugated DHT metabolites [androsterone-glucuronide (ADT-G) (p < 0.0005) and androstane-3α,17β-diol-G(3α-diol-G) (p < 0.05)] relative to controls.

In contrast, SS was not associated with significant alterations in the serum concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione, stone or 17B-estradiol (p > 0.05) relative to control Conclusion : our results show that women with SS are associated with low concentrations of serum androgen precursors, androgen (DHT) and conjugated DHT metabolites and this androgen-deficiency play a critical etiologic role in the pathogenesis of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye in Sjogren's Syndrome (SS).