Early postoperative changes in testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and sex hormone-binding globulin after hysterectomy with or without concomitant oophorectomy.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the cross-sectional associations of hysterectomy and oophorectomy status, chronological age, and body mass index with early postoperative plasma levels of total and free T, DHEAS, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). DESIGN A cross-sectional study. SETTING University hospital. PATIENT(S) Ninety-two women age 35-47 years who were scheduled for hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy, advocated for benign gynecological pathologies. INTERVENTION(S) Ninety-two eligible premenopausal women underwent hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy, with plasma T, DHEAS, and SHBG levels assayed before surgery and during the postoperative period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Effects of time x operation and age x operation interactions between oophorectomized and nonoophorectomized groups and within-subject main effect of time on plasma androgen levels. RESULT(S) Of 92 women, hysterectomy alone was performed in only 49 (53.3%) cases. Oophorectomy, either unilateral or bilateral, was performed in 35.8% of cases. Age x within-group interactions exhibited an important difference (P=.03) in total T levels. The time x between- and within-group interaction effects on plasma DHEAS levels of postoperative day 7, compared with day 1, were statistically significant (P<.001). The effect of time x group interaction was remarkable, in terms of SHBG levels during the postoperative period. Age x oophorectomy interaction exhibited a statistically significant change of decline in DHEAS levels on postoperative day 7 (P=.05). CONCLUSION(S) The present study demonstrated a time and operation effect decline in plasma DHEAS levels. In contrast, the time x operation interaction on SHBG levels exhibited an increase toward postoperative day 7.