Objective To evaluate the serum anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH)level in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and to explore the association between AMH and anti-ovarian antibody(AOAB).Methods Serum levels of AMH and AOAB were measured with ELISA in 84 female SLE patients and 90 age-matched healthy women.The patients were not treated with steroids or immunosuppressive agents before their blood samples were collected.Clinical and laboratory data of the SLE patients were also analyzed by two independent samples t-test.Results The mean serum AMH level of 84 female SLE patients was (3.2±1.5)ng/ml,which was higher than that of 90 age-matched healthy women[(2.6±1.4)ng/ml,P<0.05].Moreover,the serum AMH level was closely associated with rash,lupus nephritis,and disease activity in the 84 SLE patients.The results showed that the serum AMH levels increased first,then decreased with aging,both in SLE patients and healthy women,but the appearance of peak serum AMH level in SLE patients was delayed.The frequency of AOAB wilts higher than that in healthy women.Interestingly,the mean serum AMH level of the AOAB-positive group[(4.1±1.8)ng/ml]was higher than that of the AOAB-negative group [(2.7±1.1)ng/ml,P<0.01].Conclusion The mean level of serum AMH in female SLE patients is higher than that in age-matched healthy women,and its high level in SLE patients is closely associated with rash,lupus nephritis,disease activity and serum AOAB level.