Anti-Mullerian hormone inversely linked to CRP in men

There is an inverse correlation between anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in men, a recent study has found. This may help explain the protective effect of AMH against death risk.

The study included 949 men who had a mean AMH of 8.4±7.2 ng/mL and median CRP of 0.17 mg/dL.  Linear regression analysis found that each 10-ng/mL increase in AMH concentrations was significantly matched with a corresponding 0.09-mg/dL decrease in CRP (95 percent CI, –0.14 to –0.03; p=0.002).

These findings remained true and significant even when controlling for confounders such as age, race, body mass index, hypertension, smoking status, diabetes, total cholesterol, serum testosterone and androstenedione: each 10-ng/mL increase in AMH correlated with a 0.08-mg/dL decrease in serum CRP (–0.13 to –0.02; p=0.004).

Dividing participants according to AMH quartiles showed that those in the topmost category had significantly lower CRP levels than their bottom-group counterparts (difference, –0.19 mg/dL, –0.31 to –0.06; p=0.006). This remained significant after controlling for confounders (difference, –0.16 mg/dL; –0.3 to –0.01; p=0.035).

Frozen samples were used to measure biomarker concentrations in this study. AMH was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, while a nephlometer was used to quantify serum CRP levels.

“Although cross-sectional, the findings of the present study call for additional studies to test the hypothesis that modulation of inflammatory processes is a potential pathway by which AMH reduces all-cause mortality in men,” said researchers.