To Evaluate Effect of Imatinib Therapy on Pituitary Hormones in Newly Diagnosed CML Patients

• Published in: Indian journal of clinical biochemistry 2022-05, Vol.34 (S1), p.S91
• Main Authors: Dokwal, S, Prakash, G, Bansal, P, Ghalaut, V.S, Bala, M, Ghalaut, P.S, Prashant, P, Mahendia, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimitotic agents; Antineoplastic agents; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Prolactin; Tyrosine
• ISSN: 0970-1915

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is characterized by the fusion gene BCR-ABL, encoding a constitutively active tyrosine kinase and treated by tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib. Some case reports in literature suggest imatinib therapy may alter the pituitary hormones LH, FSH and Prolactin levels affecting various functions of reproductive system. The study was designed to prospectively study serum LH, FSH and Prolactin levels at baseline and at 9 months of imatinib treatment in (3 newly diagnosed BCR-ABL positive CML patients. The hormones were measured by highly accurate two-site sandwich immunoassay using chemiluminescence method on ADVIA Centaur system from Siemens. Of the 30 CML patients (17M & 13F), 2 patients presented in accelerated phase and 26 achieved hematological remission by 6 months. Baseline levels of LH, FSH and prolactin were similar in patients and controls. S. LH levels increased significantly after 6 months of imatinib therapy in male patients (13.82 [+ or -] 4.25 mIU/mL vs. 7.32 [+ or -] (.84 mIU/mL, p=0.001) and in female patients (12.67 [+ or -] 4.74 mIU/mL vs. 7.16 [+ or -] 3.94 mIU/mL, p=0.002). S. FSH levels increased significantly after 6 months of imatinib therapy in male patients (22.30 [+ or -] 8.74 mIU/mL vs. 11.77 [+ or -] 7.23 mIU/mL, p=0.003) and also in female patients (12.57 [+ or -] 4.94 mIU/mL vs. 5.51 [+ or -] 1.82 mIU/mL, p=0.005). Serum prolactin levels decreased significantly after 6 months of imatinib therapy in male patients (10.93 [+ or -] 7.77 ng/mL vs. 14.21 [+ or -] 12.68 ng/mL, p=0.039). Baseline levels of Serum LH, FSH and Prolactin were similar in patients and controls. The findings of significantly increased LH and FSH levels after imatinib therapy, present study is consistent with the previous reports that document the effect of imatinib on testicular function in adult male patients. The findings of significant increase in LH and FSH levels in pre-menopausal females in present study suggests that further studies on lager number of female patients are required to fully assess the effects of imatinib on multiple female reproductive hormones and their clinical significance.