Impact of Trace Element Changes on Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate in Healthy and Diabetic States among Middle-Age and Elderly Egyptians

Abstract

The aim of this study was to confirm if there is a link between the alteration in blood levels of trace elements (chromium, copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in healthy and diabetic states. This study is the first study to test these parameters in Egyptians. The study included 150 subjects divided into the following four groups: healthy middle-aged, healthy elderly, middle-aged diabetics, and elderly diabetics. Our results revealed a statistically significant decrease in the level of DHEAS in the elderly compared to middle-aged healthy and diabetic groups (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the middle-aged groups with respect to zinc, copper, chromium, and cadmium levels. Zinc and copper were lower in the diabetic subjects while chromium and cadmium were higher in the same group in comparison to healthy subjects. In the elderly groups, there were significant increases in chromium and cadmium levels in diabetic subjects rather than healthy ones. There was a significant increase in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance level in the elderly healthy and diabetic groups and a significant decrease in the glutathione level in the elderly groups. There was no correlation between the levels of trace elements and DHEAS or between the levels of DHEAS, oxidants, and antioxidants in all of the tested groups. In conclusion, only the DHEAS level was correlated with age. There was no difference between the diabetic and healthy groups with respect to the levels of trace elements, with the exception of chromium and cadmium, which suggests the effect of pollution on the pathogenesis of diabetes in Egyptians. No correlation existed between the levels of DHEAS and trace elements, oxidants, and antioxidants. Finally, we believe that there is a large regional variation in the levels of trace elements due to different environmental exposure and nutritional factors which are responsible for contradictory results regarding the pathogenesis of diseases related to alterations in the levels of trace elements.