Hormonal Status of Postmenopausal Women With Alcohol–Induced Cirrhosis: Further Findings and A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The derangements of levels of sex hormones and gonadotropins in alcoholic cirrhotic men are well delineated. The countersituation in alcoholic cirrhotic women has not yet been fully described. This study was performed in postmenopausal women among whom menstrual cycle variations in hormones no longer occur; with such a study population, it is possible to control for confounding factors and thus optimize detection of differences in levels of hormones and hormone interrelationships. Both estradiol levels and a rough estimate of aromatization of testosterone to estradiol, the estradiol to testosterone ratio, were significantly elevated in the 20 alcoholic subjects with alcohol-induced cirrhosis, as compared with the 27 normal controls; similarly, testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were all significantly reduced in the alcoholic cirrhotic women. In addition, the normal relationships of estradiol with luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, body mass and the estradiol/testosterone ratio were detected in the control group but not in the group of cirrhotic women. Further, among the alcoholic cirrhotic postmenopausal women, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and the estradiol/testosterone ratio were all significantly correlated with the Child's liver disease severity score. That the hormone levels and their interrelationships differ markedly between normal and alcoholic cirrhotic women extends previous findings in both men and postmenopausal women; the correlations of hormone levels and markers of liver disease will require further investigation.

Induction of cytochrome P450 enzymes and generation of protein-aldehyde adducts are associated with sex-dependent sensitivity to alcohol-induced liver disease in micropigs

“…30 Taken together, the above data indicate a generalized induction of CYPs by ethanol, which may in turn be associated with a variety of adverse effects reported previously as a result of the generation of reactive aldehydes and enhanced oxidant stress, [31][32][33][34][35] including stimulation of fibrogenesis 36,37 and malignant transformation. 24 In light of previous studies indicating a greater susceptibility of women for alcohol-induced liver injury, 3,38,39 it should be noted that in the present experimental model serum testosterone and 17-␤-EST levels were associated with the amount of CYP enzymes, in particular with CYP2E1. Although castration abolished testosterone levels, it is of interest that chronic ethanol feeding had the feminizing effect of significantly increasing 17-␤-EST in the castrated animals.…”

Alcohol and Endogenous Sex Steroid Levels in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Furthermore, the levels of E2 and also the E1/E2 ratio were increased, rather than decreased. Another possible mechanism is an effect of alcohol consumption on aromatase activity (34). An effect on the aromatase activity would be likely if estrogen levels are increased and androgen levels are decreased.…”

Growth and obesity and its association with plasma level of steroid hormones and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in Slovak female students

“…For example, malnutrition can reduce IGF-I level, which results impaired growth (Matera and Rapaport, 2002). Poor social environment and related alcohol consumption can both induce retardation in body growth and development (Ornoy and Ergaz, 2010), increased estradiol and reduce testosterone level in blood (Gavaler and Van Thiel, 1992).…”