학술논문

Effects of endogenous sex hormones on lung function and symptom control in adolescents with asthma
Document Type
article
Source
BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 18(1)
Subject
Paediatrics
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Clinical Research
Contraception/Reproduction
Lung
Asthma
Estrogen
Pediatric
Respiratory
Adolescent
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Gonadal Steroid Hormones
Humans
Linear Models
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Puberty
Respiratory Function Tests
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
United States
Sex hormones
Testosterone
Estradiol
Lung function
Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology
Respiratory System
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Language
Abstract
BackgroundAlthough pre-puberty asthma is more prevalent in males, after puberty through middle-age, asthma is more prevalent in females. The surge of sex hormones with puberty might explain this gender switch.MethodsTo examine the effects of sex hormones on lung function and symptoms with puberty, Tanner stage was assessed in 187 children 6-18 years of age (59% severe) enrolled in the NIH/NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). The effects of circulating sex hormones (n = 68; testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), estrogen, and progesterone) on lung function and 4 week symptom control (ACQ6) in cross-section were tested by linear regression.ResultsFrom pre-/early to late puberty, lung function did not change significantly but ACQ6 scores improved in males with severe asthma. By contrast females had lower post-BD FEV1% and FVC% and worse ACQ6 scores with late puberty assessed by breast development. In males log DHEA-S levels, which increased by Tanner stage, associated positively with pre- and post-BD FEV1%, pre-BD FVC %, and negatively (improved) with ACQ6. Patients treated with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids had similar levels of circulating DHEA-S. In females, estradiol levels increased by Tanner stage, and associated negatively with pre-BD FEV1% and FVC %.ConclusionsThese results support beneficial effects of androgens on lung function and symptom control and weak deleterious effects of estradiol on lung function in children with asthma. Longitudinal data are necessary to confirm these cross-sectional findings and to further elucidate hormonal mechanisms informing sex differences in asthma features with puberty.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT01748175 .