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CompletedNCT00001376Updated Mar 4, 2008

Steroid Hormones, TH1/TH2 Cytokines and Reproductive Status

An observational study in Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Healthy and Pregnancy, sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Completed at 1 site in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2008-03-04.

Sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Enrollment
209
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study is designed to evaluate blood Th1 and Th2 immunoregulatory cytokine production and hormonal levels associated with the third trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum state. Cytokine and hormone levels will be assessed in blood specimens obtained from healthy pregnant and postpartum females and compared to levels from premenopausal non-pregnant and non-postpartum females. Blood samples obtained at 30-36 weeks of gestation and 2-6 weeks postpartum will be the primary study points. Samples will also be obtained from pregnant, postpartum, and non-pregnant, non-postpartum, premenopausal female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional data will be generated from samples from normal males, which will be compared with data from females.

We expect to find that pregnancy is associated with enhanced Th2 cytokine expression and that the postpartum state is associated with enhanced Th1 cytokine expression. We expect to see differences in cytokine expression between males and females as well. We seek to gather data supporting the view that distinct hormonal environments regulate these contrasting immunological states.

Read the detailed description

This study is designed to evaluate blood Th1 and Th2 immunoregulatory cytokine production and hormonal levels associated with the third trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum state. Cytokine and hormone levels will be assessed in blood specimens obtained from healthy pregnant and postpartum females and compared to levels from premenopausal non-pregnant and non-postpartum females. Blood samples obtained at 30-36 weeks of gestation and 2-6 weeks postpartum will be the primary study points. Samples will also be obtained from pregnant, postpartum, and non-pregnant, non-postpartum, premenopausal female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional data will be generated from samples from normal males, which will be compared with data from females.

We expect to find that pregnancy is associated with enhanced Th2 cytokine expression and that the postpartum state is associated with enhanced Th1 cytokine expression. We expect to see differences in cytokine expression between males and females as well. We seek to gather data supporting the view that distinct hormonal environments regulate these contrasting immunological states.

02

Conditions studied

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid
  • Healthy
  • Pregnancy

Keywords

  • Androgens
  • Female
  • Immunology
  • Neuroendocrine Axis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Postpartum
  • Pregnancy
03

In context

Arthritis

3,554 studies on the registry are indexed under Arthritis; 317 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 209 is above the median of 155 across 1,057 observational studies indexed under Arthritis.

Browse Arthritis studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is the lead sponsor of 100 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.

Of its 7 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (71%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Eligibility criteria

No current medications or hormone therapy within the last 3 months.

05

Study design

Enrollment
209 participants
06

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Bell SC, Billington WD. Major anti-paternal alloantibody induced by murine pregnancy is non-complement-fixing IgG1. Nature. 1980 Nov 27;288(5789):387-8. doi: 10.1038/288387a0. PubMed 7432537 ↗
  • Cadet P, Rady PL, Tyring SK, Yandell RB, Hughes TK. Interleukin-10 messenger ribonucleic acid in human placenta: implications of a role for interleukin-10 in fetal allograft protection. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Jul;173(1):25-9. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(95)90164-7. PubMed 7631699 ↗
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 4, 2008, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00001376
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
First posted
Dec 10, 2002
Start date
Aug 1994
Completion
Jun 2000
Last update
Mar 4, 2008
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jul 1999. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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