Lower Serum Androstenedione Levels in Pre-Rheumatoid Arthritis versus Normal Control Women: Correlations with Lower Serum Cortisol Levels
Table 2
Normalized assays in CN and Pre-RA Subjects having lower versus higher cortisol values than the total female mean.
Hormones assayed and statistical values
Normalized assays in low cortisol females
Normalized assays in high cortisol females
Control
Pre-RA
Total
Control
Pre-RA
Total
Pregnenolone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
5.1 ± 0.49 (54)
4.9 ± 1.08 (10)
5.1 ± 0.44 (64)
5.1 ± 0.47 (57)
5.9 ± 1.20 (21)
5.3 ± 0.47 (78)
Median; IQR
4.0; 2.88–6.05
3.8; 2.87–6.18
3.9; 2.96–5.79
3.6; 2.61–7.08
4.2; 3.47–6.49
3.8; 2.87–6.94
Progesterone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
12.4 ± 1.9 (71)
18.3 ± 7.10 (12)
13.2 ± 1.98 (83)
14.5 ± 2.22 (70)
16.8 ± 3.68 (23)
15.0 ± 1.90 (93)
Median; IQR
5.5 ± 2.10–13.6
4.7; 2.10–36.2
4.8; 2.10–16.2
5.9; 2.15–17.0
12.7; 2.77–30.1
6.1; 2.29–22.5
17-OH Pregnenolone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
6.9 ± 0.60 (54)
5.7 ± 0.74 (10)
6.7 ± 0.52 (64)
7.5 ± 0.55 (57)
7.5 ± 0.98 (21)
7.5 ± 0.48 (78)
Median; IQR
5.7; 4.49–8.74
6.1; 2.97–7.89
5.8; 4.33–8.12
6.7; 4.26–9.84
5.7; 4.17–9.58
6.0; 4.27–9.78
17-OH Progesterone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
4.7 ± 0.49 (54)
4.9 ± 1.12 (10)
4.7 ± 0.45 (64)
4.9 ± 0.61 (57)
4.3 ± 0.72 (21)
4.8 ± 0.48 (78)
Median; IQR
3.22; 1.98–6.50
4.34; 1.55–7.77
3.51; 1.95–7.00
3.23; 1.78–6.16
3.51; 1.70–6.11
3.45; 1.86–6.10
Dehydroepiandrosterone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
19.8 ± 1.88 (52)
14.0 ± 1.06 (10)
18.9 ± 1.60 (62)
20.5 ± 1.62 (55)
20.1 ± 3.21 (19)
20.4 ± 1.45 (74)
Median; IQR
16.9; 13.5–21.8
14.2; 11.9–17.4
16.5; 12.5–19.9
16.2; 13.4–26.1
16.1; 11.5–20.9
16.1; 13.2–26.0
Androstenedione:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
8.0 ± 0.42 (53)
5.6 ± 0.73 (9)*
7.7 ± 0.39 (62)
7.6 ± 0.38 (55)
6.7 ± 0.47 (19)
7.4 ± 0.31 (74)
Median; IQR
7.2; 6.20–9.69
6.6; 3.85–6.87
7.1; 6.12–9.00
7.2; 5.63–9.54
6.4; 5.18–8.65
7.1; 5.42–8.88
Testosterone:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
2.7 ± 0.22 (51)
2.5 ± 0.33 (10)
2.7 ± 0.19 (61)
2.3 ± 0.16 (52)
2.4 ± 0.28 (20)
2.3 ± 0.14 (72)
Median; IQR
2.4; 2.02–3.13
2.3; 1.79–3.09
2.4; 2.02–3.04
2.3; 1.67–2.99
2.2; 1.82–2.90
2.3; 1.73–2.91
Estradiol:
Mean (pmol/L) ± SE ()
283 ± 32 (52)†
215 ± 105 (10)
272 ± 31 (62)
222 ± 34 (50)
265 ± 35 (18)†
233 ± 27 (68)
Median; IQR
221; 133–335
128; 3.9–251
214; 113–296
139; 56–328
195; 152–414
175; 62–354
Estrone:
Mean (pmol/L) ± SE ()
330 ± 102 (28)
127 ± 27.3 (5)
299 ± 87.2 (33)
246 ± 26.9 (27)
265 ± 44.3 (9)*
251 ± 22.7 (36)
Median; IQR
199; 135–293
141; 65–182
195; 120–274
208; 141–330
269; 134–366
218.; 141–353
Corticosterone (cmpd B):
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
9.3 ± 0.3 (72)
7.3 ± 0.9 (12)
9.1 ± 0.3 (84)
11.7 ± 0.7 (71)‡
10.7 ± 0.8 (24)*
11.4 ± 0.6 (95)‡
Median; IQR
9.2; 8.35–10.3
9.0; 4.43–9.64
9.2; 8.19–10.1
10.2; 9.01–12.8
10.1; 8.91–11.6
10.2; 8.95–12.4
Deoxycortisol:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
2.3 ± 0.13 (72)
2.1 ± 0.29 (12)
2.3 ± 0.12 (84)
2.2 ± 0.16 (71)
2.2 ± 0.22 (24)
2.2 ± 0.13 (95)
Median; IQR
2.3; 1.69–2.63
2.0; 1.57–3.02
2.3; 1.65–2.63
2.0; 1.55–2.66
2.2; 1.57–2.93
2.0; 1.55–2.66
Cortisol:
Mean (nmol/L) ± SE ()
145.0 ± 5.7 (72)
102.5 ± 14.7 (12)
138.9 ± 5.5 (84)
323.7 ± 14.9 (71)
316.5 ± 23.7 (24)
321.9 ± 12.6 (95)
Median; IQR
156; 111–179
113.6; 51–146
148.0; 105–174
285.3; 241–351
280.3; 237–375
285.3; 241–361
DHEA sulfate (DHEAS):
Mean (μmol/L) ± SE ()
3.0 ± 0.24 (72)
2.1 ± 0.50 (12)
2.9 ± 0.22 (84)
2.9 ± 0.21 (71)
2.6 ± 0.30 (24)
2.8 ± 0.17 (95)
Median; IQR
2.53; 1.70–3.73
1.8; 0.79–4.02
2.5; 1.58–3.73
2.6; 1.59–3.99
2.3; 1.60–3.49
2.4; 1.59–3.91
Mean ages ± SEs‡
43.3 ± 1.4
44.6 ± 3.4
43.5 ± 1.3
44.6 ± 1.4
43.4 ± 2.5
44.3 ± 1.2
SE: standard error of mean; IQR: interquartile range of median. ; ; (see text for noncortisol differences between low versus high females and in pre-RA versus CN).
