Hormonal Associations in the Early Disease Course in Men with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (P02.128)

OBJECTIVE: To Characterize Hormone Levels and Determine their Association with Disease Severity in Men Early in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Disease Course. BACKGROUND: Hormones including androgens, leptin and vitamin D have been associated with disease susceptibility and course in MS. These hormones may have sex-specific effects. Their inter-relationship is unknown. DESIGN/METHODS: Male subjects were selected from the CLIMB study at the Partners MS Center in Boston, if they satisfied the following criteria: age between 18 and 65, relapsing remitting MS by 2005 McDonald criteria or CIS, first symptoms RESULTS: A total of 108 men were included, with mean age 39 years, disease duration 4.8 years and EDSS of 1. Mean testosterone levels were 346 ng/dL (SD 135), >1 standard deviation below published norms for healthy US men. Pearson correlations revealed significant negative associations between testosterone and leptin (r=-0.22, p=0.029) and between androgen index and vitamin D (r=-0.248, p=0.012). In cross-sectional analysis adjusted for age and disease duration, leptin was significantly correlated with EDSS (partial r=0.24, p=0.017). There were no longitudinal associations using GEE analysis between hormone levels and EDSS. CONCLUSIONS: Low androgen levels early in MS course were not associated with clinical outcomes. The correlation between leptin and EDSS supports a possible role for metabolic factors in MS-associated inflammation. There may be sexual dimorphism in the effect of vitamin D on early disease course, with weaker association in men. Supported by: NIH T32 Grant 5T32AI074549 (RB). This work was conducted with support from Harvard Catalyst (Laboratory analyses) | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health Award 8UL1TR000170-05 and financial contributions from Harvard University and its affiliated academic health care centers). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University and its affiliated academic health care centers, or the National Institutes of Health. Disclosure: Dr. Bove has nothing to disclose. Dr. Musallam has nothing to disclose. Dr. Healy has received research support from Merck Serono. Dr. Raghavan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khoury has received personal compenation for activities with EpiVax, Argos, LifeCycle, TcLand, Wyeth as a consultant. Dr. Weiner has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Novartis, Serono, Inc., Teva Neuroscience, GlaxoSmithKline, Inc., Nasvax, Xenoport and Genzyme Corporation as a consultant, speaker and/or participant on an advisory board. Dr. Weiner has received research support from Merck Serono. Dr. De Jager has received personal compensation for activities with Merck Serono, Teva Neuroscience, and Biogen Idec. Dr. De Jager has received research support from Biogen Idec. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chitnis has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals, EMD-Serono, and Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Chitnis has received research support from Merck Serono.