SIRTI and cortisol in unexplained infertile females; a cross sectional study, in Karachi Pakistan

Objective: To explore a disparity in anti-oxidants (SIRT1) and pro-oxidants (cortisol) levels as a plausible cause of unexplained infertility in females. Methodology: It was a cross sectional study in which 342 females with unexplained infertility were recruited from ACIMC outpatient clinic: 135 infertile cases and 207 fertile controls. Biochemical estimation of serum cortisol and SIRT1 was performed using Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay. Statistical comparisons were performed using Student-t test and Mann-Whitney U test. Associations between circulating hormone levels and infertility were determined using Spearman's rank correlation. Associations were considered significant where value of p was less than 0.05. Results: The stress hormones profile of case and control demonstrated that the antioxidant SIRT1 was significantly lower in infertile females when compared with the fertile (p =< 0.001) while (the oxidant) Cortisol showed a contrast of results with higher values of in infertile females when compared with fertile counterparts (p =< 0.01). There was a strong negative association observed between SIRT1 and cortisol serum level (r = 0.244, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Chronic stress causes oxidative stress that is depicted by a decrease in antioxidant levels in infertile females.