Open AccessThe Role of Follicle-stimulating Hormone in Vascular Dysfunction Observed in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients
Author(s) -
Erica J. Roelofs,
Donald R. Dengel,
Qi Wang,
James S. Hodges,
Julia Steinberger,
K. Scott Baker
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of pediatric hematology/oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.388
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1536-3678
pISSN - 1077-4114
DOI - 10.1097/mph.0000000000002355
Subject(s) - medicine , brachial artery , hormone , follicle stimulating hormone , endocrinology , transplantation , endothelial dysfunction , blood pressure , luteinizing hormone
Childhood cancer survivors who receive a hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are at increased risk for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) abnormalities, which may have a substantial negative impact on vascular function. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of vascular function with FSH in HCT recipients, non-HCT recipients and healthy controls. The study included childhood cancer survivors who were HCT recipients (n=24) and non-HCT recipients (n=308), and a control group of healthy siblings (n=211) all between 9 and 18 years old. Vascular measures of carotid artery structure and function (compliance and distensibility), brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and endothelial-independent dilation were measured using ultrasound imaging. A fasting blood sample was collected to measure hormone levels. FSH was significantly higher in HCT recipients compared with non-HCT recipients and healthy controls (P<0.01). Carotid compliance and distensibility were significantly lower in HCT and non-HCT recipients compared with healthy controls (P<0.05). Higher FSH was associated with decreased carotid compliance (P<0.05). This study's results suggest that higher levels of FSH in HCT recipients may result in significant reductions in vascular function compared with non-HCT recipients and healthy controls. Therefore, gonadotropin endocrine dysfunction, particularly abnormal FSH levels, may be an underlying mechanism of vascular dysfunction.