In article <42lpnb$co3 at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, crobin4881 at aol.com (CRobin4881) says:
>>I was asked to evaluate a patients profile and make a diagnosis, and I
>came across a curious question. The patient in question appears to
>develop SLE (based on a false positive test for syphilis, positive
>anti-nuclear/anti-DNA antibodies, persistent fever, IgM and C3 deposits at
>the dermal-epidermal junction, and lymphoadenopathy). All of these
>clinical symptoms appear about 4 weeks after she began using oral
>contraceptive, however, the false positive for syphilis was present before
>the use of this birth control. After about two months of these symptoms,
>the patient was taken off oral contraceptives. At this point she then
>became afebrile, and her 24 hour creatine clearance went back to normal
>(up to 120 cc/min vs 50 cc/min).
> I am curious as to what the role of the oral contraceptives may play
>in enhancing/exacerbating what appears to be a first diagnosis of SLE? Is
>the decline in fever and renormalization of creatine clearance
>attributable to the contraceptive, or is it merely the coincidental
>remission of the autoimmunity as often seen in SLE?
> If you may have any clues or insight, please reply!
>>Thanks,
>Crobin4881 at aol.com
I suggest you see "Zeroing in on how hormones affect the immune system"
Science 269:773-775 (1995). Among the interesting findings discussed in
this provocative (if inconclusive) article is increased estradiol levels
in women with SLE.
Ed Purcell
