Research Article

Sex Hormones in Allergic Conjunctivitis: Altered Levels of Circulating Androgens and Estrogens in Children and Adolescents with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis

Table 2

Sex hormones serum levels in active VKC and healthy subjects.

TotalPrepubertalEarly pubertal
VKC HealthyVKCHealthyVKCHealthy

19361220716
Age
 Mean ± SD 8.7 ± 28.5 ± 2.97.3 ± 0.97 ± 1.311 ± 0.711 ± 1.1
 Range6–126–136–96–99–129–13
LH (mUI/mL)
 Mean ± SD 0.5 ± 0.30.6 ± 0.50.4 ± 0.20.4 ± 0.20.9 ± 0.50.8 ± 0.5
 Range 0.2–1.20.1–20.2–0.70.1–0.80.5–1.20.1–2
FSH (mUI/mL)
 Mean ± SD1.4 ± 0.70.6 ± 0.41 ± 0.61.8 ± 0.8
 Range0.3–1.70.2–40.3–1.20.2–30.3–1.70.6–4
Total testosterone (ng/100 mL)
 Mean ± SD28.7 ± 4718 ± 1213 ± 9.19.8 ± 4.236 ± 2426 ± 12
 Range1–734–481–274–177–736–48
Free testosterone (ng/100 mL)
 Mean ± SD1 ± 10.4 ± 0.14.1 ± 7.41.6 ± 1
 Range0.5–19.20.2–4.90.5–8.60.2–0.50.5–19.20.2–4.9
DHT (pg/mL)
 Mean ± SD17 ± 11.741.7 ± 36.321 ± 464 ± 43
 Range3–3815–1403–2515–271.3–3820–140
Estradiol (pg/mL)
 Mean ± SD14.7 ± 6.817.7 ± 5.514.9 ± 7.217.4 ± 4.914.2 ± 6.717.9 ± 6
 Range5–2910–345–2910–2710–2410–34
Estrone (pg/mL)
 Mean ± SD12.8 ± 2.412 ± 1.716.5 ± 1.9
 Range10–6410–1810–6410–1532–3714–18
DHEAS (ng/mL)
 Mean ± SD855 ± 1008612 ± 221707 ± 685488 ± 1861111 ± 1440731 ± 186
 Range87–2640132–120087–2190132–861273–2640358–1200
D4A (ng/mL)
 Mean ± SD0.7 ± 0.70.7 ± 0.30.7 ± 0.80.5 ± 0.20.9 ± 0.40.9 ± 0.4
 Range0.1–2.50.3–2.20.1–2.50.3–0.90.6–1.20.6–2.2
Cortisol (ng/mL)
 Mean ± SD122 ± 73102 ± 49138 ± 80107 ± 5579 ± 2896 ± 41
 Range31–23835–20531–23835–20551–10745–197
SHBG (nmol/L)
 Mean ± SD65.9 ± 41110.5 ± 28134 ± 49
 Range21–16449–20840–16484–20821–7849–206

VKC: vernal keratoconjunctivitis; ; : number; SD: standard deviation; LH: luteinizing hormone; FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone; DHT: dihydrotestosterone; DHEAS: dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate; D4A: delta-4-androstenedione; SHBG: sex hormones binding globulin.