Endogenous Levels of Circulating Androgens Are Not Associated with Risk of Microscopic Colitis

Abstract

Background: Microscopic colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that most commonly affects post-menopausal women. Exogenous hormone use has recently been linked with increased risk of microscopic colitis. Yet, it is unclear whether levels of endogenous sex hormones are also associated with risk of microscopic colitis.

Aim: To evaluate the association between prediagnostic plasma androgens and subsequent risk of microscopic colitis.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested within prospective cohort studies of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII. Cases of microscopic colitis were each matched to two controls according to age, cohort, menopause status, fasting status, and season of plasma collection. Prediagnosis plasma levels of androgens including dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin were measured. We examined the association of each analyte with risk of microscopic colitis using conditional logistic regression models.

Results: Our study included 96 cases of microscopic colitis matched to 190 controls. Plasma levels of testosterone were not associated with risk of microscopic colitis (P_trend = 0.70). Compared to participants in the lowest quartile of plasma testosterone levels, the aOR of microscopic colitis for women in the highest quartile was 0.88, 95% CI 0.45-1.71. Similarly, we did not observe an association between dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and sex hormone-binding globulin and risk of microscopic colitis (all P_trend > 0.52).

Conclusion: Among women, prediagnostic circulating levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and sex hormone-binding globulin are not associated with risk of microscopic colitis.

Keywords: Androgens; Collagenous colitis; Lymphocytic colitis; Microscopic colitis; Nurses’ health study.