Female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) have a lower ovarian reserve than either primary APS or SLE patients

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the ovarian reserve (OR) in women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially SLE-associated APS, and to determine the association between OR and clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods We compared the antral follicle count (AFC), anticardiolipin antibody, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B (INHB), antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2) among patients with primary APS (PAPS), SLE-APS, and SLE who were treated at Jinhua Central Hospital between 2017 and 2020. We conducted correlations and logistic regression analyses to identify the risk factors of OR failure in women with APS. Results Serum AMH were positively correlated with AFC and INHB in APS patients, and low AMH was independent risk factor for OR decline in APS patients. The ROC curve showed a high accuracy for AMH in the prediction of OR failure. Compared to healthy subjects (HS), patients with PAPS, SLE-APS, and SLE exhibited lower serum AMH, AFC, INHB, and E2 levels and higher FSH and levels (p<0.05). Of all the patients, those with SLE-APS manifested the lowest serum AMH, AFC, INHB, and E2 levels and the highest FSH levels (p<0.05). Conclusions APS and SLE patients showed lower indications of OR, including AFC and AMH, compared to HS. SLE-APS patients also appeared to have a lower OR than either SLE or PAPS patients.