Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Levels Research Articles

Biological aspects and candidate biomarkers for psychotic bipolar disorder: A systematic review.

We carried out a systematic review of the available literature about potential biomarkers of psychotic bipolar disorder (BD-P), a specific subset presenting worse outcome and greater risk of relapse than non-psychotic bipolar disorder (BD-NP). We searched the main psychiatric databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, PsychInfo). Only original articles with the main topic of BD-P compared to schizophrenia/BD-NP/healthy controls (HC) written in English from 1994 to 2015 were included. BD-P patients presented higher kynurenic acid levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, elevated anti- S accharomyces cerevisiae antibodies levels, and lower serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and progesterone than BD-NP/HC. Event-related potentials abnormalities have been identified in BD-P with respect to BD-NP. BD-P patients also presented bigger ventricles but similar hippocampal volumes compared to BD-NP/HC. Although the results are contrasting, some cognitive deficits seemed to be related to the psychotic dimension of bipolar affective disorder, such as impairment in verbal/logical memory, working memory, verbal and semantic fluency and executive functioning. Finally, polymorphisms of genes, such as NRG1, 5HTTLPR (s), COMT, DAOA and some chromosome regions (16p12 and 13q), were positively associated with BD-P. Data about the identification of specific biomarkers for BD-P are promising, but most of them have not yet been replicated. They could lead the clinicians to an early diagnosis and proper treatment, thus ameliorating outcome of BD-P and reducing the biological changes associated with a long duration of illness. Further studies with bigger samples are needed to detect more specific biological markers of the psychotic dimension of bipolar affective disorder.

The Effects of Vitamin D-K-Calcium Co-Supplementation on Endocrine, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Vitamin D-Deficient Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The current study was conducted to assess the effects of vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplementation on endocrine, inflammation, and oxidative stress biomarkers in vitamin D-deficient women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed on 60 vitamin D-deficient women diagnosed with PCOS aged 18-40 years old. Participants were randomly allocated into 2 groups to intake either 200 IU vitamin D, 90 μg vitamin K plus, 500 mg calcium supplements (n=30), or placebo (n=30) twice a day for 8 weeks. Endocrine, inflammation, and oxidative stress biomarkers were quantified at the beginning and the end of the study. After 8 weeks of intervention, compared with the placebo, vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in serum-free testosterone (- 2.1±1.6 vs.+0.1±1.0 pg/ml, p<0.001) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels (- 0.8±1.0 vs.-0.1±0.5 μg/ml, p=0.006). In addition, a significant increase in plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (+ 75.7±126.1 vs.-80.4±242.8 mmol/l, p=0.005) and a significant difference in plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (+ 0.03±0.6 vs.+1.4±2.4 μmol/l, p=0.005) was observed following the supplementation with vitamin D-K-calcium compared with the placebo. A trend toward a greater decrease in luteinizing hormone was observed in vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplement group compared to placebo group (- 7.0 vs.-1.2 IU/l, p=0.09). We did not find any significant effect of vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplementation on prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, 17-OH progesterone, inflammatory markers, and glutathione levels. Overall, vitamin D-K-calcium co-supplementation for 8 weeks among vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS had beneficial effects on serum DHEAS, free testosterone, plasma TAC, and MDA levels.

Testosterone and DHEA-S levels with chronic tic disorder in children

The neurobiological basis of tic disorders is thought to be a series of interactions including genetic, environmental and gender related factors. Being male is thought to be an especially important risk factor in the pathogenesis of tics. Our aim in this study was to investigate gender-related hormones such as testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and cortisol in tic patients. A total of 26 patients who had not entered puberty and had been diagnosed with chronic tic disorder and 25 healthy children were included in the study. Serum total testosterone, cortisol and DHEA-S levels were measured and the relationship with clinical data was investigated. The testosterone and DHEA-S levels of the patient group were higher than that of the control group (P=0.019, P=0.025) but no statistical difference was found between the cortisol levels (P=0.642). No statistical correlation was found between total tic severity, general disturbance, movement tic subscale scores and the DHEA-S (P=0.77, P=0.45, P=0.819 respectively) and testosterone levels (P=0.954, P=0.669, P=0.909 respectively). The results of this study reveal an elevation of testosterone and DHEA-S levels in patients. Future studies with a larger number of patients are likely to help elucidate the importance of these androgens in tic disorder.

MP07-13 BASELINE SERUM DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE (DHEAS) CAN PREDICT RESPONSIVENESS TO PRIMARY ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH HORMONE NAÏVE METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER

You have accessJournal of UrologyProstate Cancer: Markers II1 Apr 2016MP07-13 BASELINE SERUM DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE (DHEAS) CAN PREDICT RESPONSIVENESS TO PRIMARY ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH HORMONE NAÏVE METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER Akihiro Yano, Hironori Sugiyama, Eiken Cho, Hideki Takeshita, Yohei Okada, Makoto Morozumi, Satoru Kawakami, and Takumi Yamada Akihiro YanoAkihiro Yano More articles by this author , Hironori SugiyamaHironori Sugiyama More articles by this author , Eiken ChoEiken Cho More articles by this author , Hideki TakeshitaHideki Takeshita More articles by this author , Yohei OkadaYohei Okada More articles by this author , Makoto MorozumiMakoto Morozumi More articles by this author , Satoru KawakamiSatoru Kawakami More articles by this author , and Takumi YamadaTakumi Yamada More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.2216AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Prediction of responsiveness to primary androgen deprivation therapy (pADT) is pivotal to individualize the multimodal treatment strategy for patients with advanced prostate cancer. Although a panel of prognosticator has been revealed to date, little has been known about whether baseline androgen status can predict pADT responsiveness in these patients. The aim of this study is to clarify the ability of baseline serum DHEAS and testosterone (T) to predict pADT responsiveness in these patients. METHODS Twenty-six patients with hormone naive bone metastatic prostate cancer were treated with pADT between May 2013 and Sep 2015. Time to development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), defined according to PCWG2 criteria, was used to evaluate responsiveness to pADT. Relationships between baseline parameters and time to development of CRPC were evaluated using multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model. Parameters (and its cut-off value) analyzed were, age (70 years), presence of visceral metastasis, alkaline phosphatase (340 U/L), lactate dehydrogenase (290 U/L), hemoglobin (13.2 g/dL), PSA (65 ng/mL according to the Glass model), Gleason score (7), T (359 ng/dL; the fourth decile), and DHEAS (23.8 µg/dL; the first decile). RESULTS During a median 17 months follow-up period, 13 out of the 26 patients developed CRPC. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (p = 0.03), baseline PSA (p < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.01), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), and DHEAS (p < 0.001) are significant and independent predictors for time to development of CRPC. CRPC-free survival rate for patients with higher baseline DHEAS level was significantly better than that for those with lower baseline DHEAS (Fig). CONCLUSIONS The current results indicate that baseline serum DHEAS level, along with previously established prognosticators, can predict pADT responsiveness of patients with hormone naive metastatic prostate cancer. Further prospective analyses with large number of cohorts will be needed to confirm our results. © 2016FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 195Issue 4SApril 2016Page: e81-e82 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2016MetricsAuthor Information Akihiro Yano More articles by this author Hironori Sugiyama More articles by this author Eiken Cho More articles by this author Hideki Takeshita More articles by this author Yohei Okada More articles by this author Makoto Morozumi More articles by this author Satoru Kawakami More articles by this author Takumi Yamada More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Estrogen Regulation of Fetal Adrenal Cortical Zone-Specific Development in the Nonhuman Primate Impacts Adrenal Production of Androgen and Cortisol and Response to ACTH in Females in Adulthood.

We showed that the volume of the fetal zone of the fetal adrenal gland and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) levels at term were increased in baboons in which estradiol levels were suppressed by treatment with aromatase inhibitor 4,4-[1,2,3-triazol-1yl-methylene] bis-benzonitrite (letrozole). The fetal zone remodels postnatally into the reticular zone and DHAS production, and serum levels decline with age. Therefore, we determined whether the trajectory of reticular zone DHAS secretion and response to ACTH were altered in offspring deprived of estrogen in utero. Female offspring were delivered to baboons untreated or treated daily throughout the second half of gestation with letrozole (estradiol reduced >95%) or letrozole plus estradiol and cortisol and DHAS determined in blood samples obtained bimonthly between 4 and 125 months and after iv bolus of ACTH. The slope/rate of decline in serum DHAS with advancing age was greater (P < .01) in letrozole-treated (-0.54 ± 0.005) than untreated (-0.32 ± 0.003) baboons and partially restored by letrozole-estradiol (-0.43 ± 0.004). Serum cortisol was similar and relatively constant in all offspring. Moreover, in letrozole-treated offspring, serum DHAS at 61-66, 67-95, and 96-125 months were lower (P < .05), and cortisol to DHAS ratio was greater (P < .05) than in untreated offspring. ACTH at high level increased cortisol and DHAS in untreated baboons and cortisol but not DHAS in letrozole-treated offspring. We propose that postnatal development of the primate adrenal cortex, including the decline in reticular zone DHAS production, response to ACTH and maintenance of cortisol to DHAS ratio with advancing age is modulated by exposure of the fetal adrenal to estradiol.

X-Linked Lissencephaly with Absent Corpus Callosum and Ambiguous Genitalia: A Case Report

Background: X-linked lissencephaly with ambiguous genitalia (XLAG) is a recently described genetic disorder, in which patients present with lissencephaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum, refractory epilepsy of neonatal onset, acquired microcephaly, and male genotype with ambiguous genitalia. XLAG is responsible for a severe neurological disorder of neonatal onset in boys. A gyration defect consisting of anterior pachygyria and posterior agyria with a moderately thickened brain cortex, dysplastic basal ganglia, and complete agenesis of the corpus callosum are consistently found on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Females related to affected boys may have epilepsy and mental retardation or display agenesis of corpus collosum on MRI. These findings can indicate an X-linked semi-dominant inheritance. Case presentation: The patient was a one-day-old term neonate admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit due to refractory seizure. He was the second child of the family, born to non-consanguineous and healthy parents. His midface was slightly hypoplastic with long and smooth philtrum; the neonate had ambiguous genitalia, as well. Hormonal investigation demonstrated elevated serum 17OH-progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and testosterone levels. Chromosomal analysis showed a normal male karyotype (46, XY). Brain computed tomography scan showed a typical pattern of lissencephaly with a posterior-to-anterior gradient of severity consisting of frontal pachygyria, posterior agyria, and absence of corpus collosum

Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in Older Men and Women: The Pro.V.A Study.

A large body of clinical data suggests the importance of endogenous sex hormones in the pathogenesis of diabetes, but very little is known about the possible relationship between dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and diabetes, particularly in the elderly. We aimed, therefore, to examine whether high serum levels of DHEAS have any protective effects on the incidence of type 2 diabetes and to elucidate the possible role of gender in a cohort of older subjects. We followed 1258 community-dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years without type 2 diabetes who belonged to the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) for 4.4±1.2 years. DHEAS were measured at baseline and categorized into gender-specific tertiles. The incidence of type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in cases of fasting plasma glucose above 7.0 nmol/L, glycated hemoglobin ≥6.5%, use of glucose-lowering drugs or a 2-hour postload blood sugar level ≥11.1 nmol/L during the follow-up period. Although no significant differences in potential risk factors for diabetes were apparent across DHEAS tertiles at the baseline in either gender, when those with lower DHEAS were taken for reference, Cox regression analysis showed that males in the highest DHEAS tertile had lower risks for being diagnosed with diabetes during the follow up (HR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.11-0.51; p<0.0001), whereas no significant differences emerged across DHEAS tertiles for females or for the sample as a whole. Higher serum DHEAS levels revealed a significant protective effect against the onset of type 2 diabetes in older men but not in older women, confirming different sensitivities of type 2 diabetes to DHEAS between genders.

Relationship between serum DHEAS and oxidative stress levels of body mass index in healthy postmenopausal women

Objectives: Menopause is a natural step in the process of aging. Postmenopausal women have decreased levels of antioxidants and increased oxidative stress, the latter of which plays an important role in atherogenesis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of the body mass index (BMI) with serum catalase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in healthy postmenopausal women and estimate whether the MDA/DHEAS ratio is a possible marker of oxidative stress for determining cardiovascular risk in these women. Methods: We investigated serum catalase activity, MDA, and DHEAS levels, parity history, age, and BMI in 96 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50–82 years. The serum MDA levels and catalase activity were measured spectrophotometrically. The serum DHEAS levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The ratio percentage of the serum DHEAS levels to serum MDA levels was designated as a biomarker for oxidative stress. Results: The mean BMI of the patients was 31.72 ± 6.16 kg/m2 (range = 20.5–47.94). The MDA/DHEAS ratio was significantly decreased in patients with a BMI over 30 compared to that of patients with a BMI between 25 and 30 (P = 0.025). Moreover, BMI was positively correlated with serum DHEAS levels (r = 0.285, P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with the MDA/DHEAS ratio (r = −0.241, P < 0.05) in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, BMI was observed to be a potential predictor of the MDA/DHEAS ratio based on covariance analysis (P = 0.039). Conclusions: Our results indicate that healthy, obese, postmenopausal women have a decreased MDA/DHEAS ratio. Additionally, BMI was observed to be a potential predictor of the MDA/DHEAS ratio.

Evaluation of the glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid, and adrenal androgen secretion dynamics in a large cohort of patients aged 6-18years with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia major, with an emphasis on the impact of cardiac iron load.

The variable presence of adrenal insufficiency (AI) due to hypocortisolemia (HC) in patients with thalassemia is well established; however, the prevalence of adrenocortical hypofunction (ACH) in the zona glomerulosa and zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex is unknown. To establish the prevalence of ACH, we examined the cortisol response to 1-µg and 250-µg ACTH tests, plasma aldosterone (A)/plasma renin activity (PRA) ratio, and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in a large cohort of patients with thalassemia, and to investigate the impact of total body iron load (TBIL) on adrenocortical function. The setting used was University hospital and government-based tertiary care center. One hundred twenty-one (52 females) patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM) and 72 healthy peers (38 females) were enrolled. The patients underwent a 250-µg cosyntropin test if their peak cortisol was <500nmol/L in a 1-µg cosyntropin test. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to assess the MRI-based liver iron content and cardiac MRI T2* iron. The associations between ACH and TBIL were investigated. The patients with thalassemia had lower ACTH, cortisol, DHEAS, and A/PRA values compared with the controls (p<0.001). Thirty-nine patients (32.2%) had HC [primary (n=1), central (n=36), combined (n=2)], and 47 (38.8%) patients had reduced DHEAS levels; 29 (24.0%) patients had reduced A/PRA ratios. Forty-six (38.0%) patients had hypofunction in one of the adrenal zones, 26 (21.5%) had hypofunction in two adrenal zones, and 9 (7.4%) had hypofunction in all three zones. Patient age and TBIL surrogates were significant independent parameters associated with ACH. Cardiac MRI T2* iron was the only significant parameter that predicted the severity of ACH at a cut-off of 20.6ms, with 81% sensitivity and 78% specificity. Patients with thalassemia have a high prevalence of AI due to HC and zona glomerulosa and zona reticularis hypofunction. TBIL surrogates can predict ACH, but cardiac iron was the only surrogate that was adequately sensitive to predict the severity of ACH.

An exploratory pilot investigation of neurosteroids and self-reported pain in female Iraq/Afghanistan-era Veterans.

Female Veterans are the most rapidly growing segment of new users of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and a significant proportion of female Veterans receiving treatment from VHA primary care providers report persistent pain symptoms. Currently, available data characterizing the neurobiological underpinnings of pain disorders are limited. Preclinical data suggest that neurosteroids may be involved in the modulation of pain symptoms, potentially via actions at gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) are neurosteroids that modulate inhibitory GABA receptors and excitatory NMDA receptors, producing complex neuronal effects. Emerging evidence from male Iraq/Afghanistan-era Veterans suggests that reductions in neurosteroid levels are associated with increased pain symptoms and that neurosteroids may be promising biomarker candidates. The current exploratory study thus examined associations between self-reported pain symptoms in 403 female Iraq/Afghanistan-era Veterans and serum DHEAS and DHEA levels. Serum DHEAS levels were inversely correlated with low back pain in female Veterans (Spearman r = -0.103; p = 0.04). Nonparametric analyses indicate that female Veterans reporting moderate/extreme low back pain demonstrated significantly lower DHEAS levels than those reporting no/little low back pain (|Z| = 2.60; p = 0.009). These preliminary findings support a role for DHEAS in pain physiology of low back pain and the rationale for neurosteroid therapeutics in pain analgesia.

Neuroprotective properties of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate and its relationship to interleukin 6 after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a prospective cohort study.

IntroductionThe established neuroprotective property of the sex steroid precursor dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) has not yet been investigated in the context of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The influence of DHEAS on inflammatory response resulting in modulation of interleukin 6 (IL-6) synthesis has been shown. Here, we evaluate DHEAS serum levels after aSAH (day 0–14) and levels of IL-6 related to functional outcome at discharge and at six months.MethodsA complete data set (DHEAS and IL-6 serum levels for days 0, 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 after aSAH) and outcome assessment at discharge according to modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) was available for 53 patients of the initially screened cohort (n = 109). Outcome assessment six months after aSAH was obtained from 41 patients. Logarithmized levels of DHEAS and IL-6 were related to dichotomized functional outcome either assessed at discharge or at six months. A mixed between-within subjects ANOVA was applied for statistical analysis (SPSS 21.0).ResultsDHEAS and IL-6 levels across time were related to functional outcome. Regarding outcome assessment at discharge and at six months after aSAH, DHEAS levels (transformed to square root for statistical purposes) were considerably higher in patients with favorable outcome (mRS 0–2) (p = .001; p = .020). Inversely, in patients with favorable outcome either at discharge or six months after aSAH, lower IL-6 levels (logarithmized for statistical purposes) were observed across time (both p < .001).ConclusionWe provide new evidence that DHEAS is associated with protective properties resulting in improvement of functional outcome after aSAH, possibly by influencing the inflammatory response after aSAH shown in the decreasing IL-6 serum levels. But the results for outcome six months after SAH are limited due to a high drop-out rate.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0954-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Does surgical menopause affect sexual performance differently from natural menopause?

Hysterectomy is the most common major gynecologic operation, together with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in the majority of women over the age of 45. To investigate whether surgical menopause affects female sexual performance differently from natural menopause. The study included 121 women who had undergone surgical menopause and 122 women who had undergone natural menopause. All the women had similar economic, sociocultural, and personal demographic profiles, had been postmenopausal for at least 1 year, and were between the ages of 45 and 65. The women were asked to complete a six-question survey of sexual performance parameters (sexual desire, coital frequency, arousal, orgasm frequency, dyspareunia, and vaginal lubrication). These sexual performance parameters were compared between the surgical and natural menopause groups. With the exception of vaginal lubrication, sexual performance parameters were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Vaginal lubrication in the surgically menopausal group was lower than in the naturally menopausal group (P < 0.05). Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, prolactin, and thyrotropin levels were not statistically different between the groups (P > 0.05), whereas serum estradiol and total testosterone levels in the surgically menopausal group were lower than those of the naturally menopausal group (P < 0.05). The results of this study showed that surgical menopause did not affect female sexual performance differently from natural menopause, with the exception of vaginal lubrication.

Assessment of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and total serum testosterone in Iraqi women with post-adolescent acne

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and total serum testosterone (TST) in women with post-adolescent acne and their relationship to severity of acne and clinical markers of androgenicity. Methods: Two hundred forty women with post-adolescent acne (PAA), 132 women with late- onset acne (LOA) and 108 women with persistent acne (PA) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. All patients were examined clinically and by ultrasound for evidence of polycystic ovaries (PCO), and serum DHEA-S and TST levels were measured. Results: The results showed that there was an excess in androgens (DHEA-S) and TST levels. Serum androgens level were significantly correlated to the severity of PAA. In addition, clinical markers of androgenicity were frequently observed in women with PAA. Conclusion: There is an increased level of circulating androgens in significant proportion of women with PAA and it seems that hyperandrogenism appears to play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of acne. In addition, there was a direct correlation between severity of acne and androgen levels suggesting that both ovarian and adrenal abnormalities are common at this patients group. J Clin Exp Invest 2015; 6 (2): 121-125 Key words: Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, total serum testosterone, post-adolescent acne

Assessment of Serum Levels of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEAS) and Estriol (E3) in the 2nd and 3rd Trimesters of Pregnancy, in Some Selected Obstetrics and Gynecological Specialist Hospitals in Port Harcourt: A Measure of Fetal Well‐being

The serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and Estriol (E3) was investigated in fifty (50) pregnant women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy in some selected obstetrics and gynecological specialist hospitals in Port Harcourt, as a relevant measure of fetal well‐being. As a routine, the consent of the women was obtained for the test to be performed both for medical and academic purpose. 4‐5ml of blood was collected individually into a labeled lithium heparin bottle, and stored at 40C for up to 24 hours and at – 100C for those samples to be analyzed at a later date. The investigation was carried out using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method with the use of an automated micro plate reader. The data obtained was compared with the standard reference values for DHEAS and E3. The result obtained showed a significant steady increase in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate as well as that of Estriol when compared to reference values, as the trimester progresses. There was also an observed decrease in DHEAS and E3 as age of the patients increases. Slight increases in the levels of DHEAS and E3 are used to monitor the progress of the pregnancy and they also indicate fetal well‐being

The association between serum dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEA-S) level and bone mineral density in Korean men.

Many lines of evidence indicate that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) plays a distinct role in bone metabolism and that its sulphated form (DHEA-S), which is easily measured in blood, may be a potential biomarker of osteoporosis-related phenotypes. However, most previous epidemiologic studies focused on postmenopausal women and reported conflicting results. We aimed to investigate the association between the serum DHEA-S level and bone mass in men. This large cross-sectional study included 1089 healthy Korean men who participated in a routine health screening examination. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine, total femur, femur neck, and trochanter and serum DHEA-S level were obtained in all subjects. After adjustment for age, body mass index, lifestyle factors and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, testosterone, 25-OH-vitamin D3 and cortisol, higher serum DHEA-S concentrations were associated with higher BMD values at all skeletal sites. Consistently, compared to the subjects in the highest DHEA-S quartile (Q4), those in the lowest DHEA-S quartile (Q1) showed significantly lower BMD values. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds ratios for the risk of lower BMD (T-score <-1) increased in a dose-dependent manner across decreasing DHEA-S quartiles and the odds for the risk of lower BMD were 2·59-fold higher in Q1 than in Q4. These findings support previous evidences that DHEA-S has favourable effects on bone mass in men and suggest that a low serum DHEA-S level may be a potential risk factor for male osteoporosis.

Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate concentration is not a predictive factor in IVF outcomes before the first cycle of GnRH agonist administration in women with normal ovarian reserve.

ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to determine whether serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) concentration and the models incorporating it could help clinicians to predict IVF outcomes in women with normal ovarian reserve undergoing their first long protocol.Study DesignWe performed a retrospective analysis of 459 women undergoing cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for the first time in a long GnRH agonist protocol.ResultsEmbryo transfer was performed in 407 women (88.7%). The fertilisation rate was 78.6%. The clinical pregnancy rate was 44.8% per started cycle and 50.6% per embryo transfer. Our univariate model revealed that the best predictors of clinical pregnancy were the number of mature oocytes, the number of embryos transferred and the number of good quality embryos, account for the clinical parameters that reflect ovarian reserve the best being AMH level and AFC. DHEAS did not predict clinical pregnancy (OR 1.001, 95% CI, 0.999–1.004). After adjusting for the number of embryos transferred and class of embryos in a multivariate model, the best predictors were age (OR 0.918, 95% CI, 0.867–0.972) and AFC (OR 1.022, 95% CI, 0.992–1.053). Serum DHEAS levels were positively correlated with AFC (r = 0.098, P<0.039) and testosterone levels (r = 0.371, P<0.001), as well as the number of mature oocytes (r = 0.109, P<0.019); serum DHEAS levels were negatively correlated with age (r = -0.220, P<0.001), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), (r = -0.116, P<0.015) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), (r = -0.193, P<0.001).ConclusionsDHEAS concentration (in addition to the known factors of ovarian reserve) does not predict clinical pregnancy in women with normal ovarian reserve who are undergoing ICSI.

A twin-sibling study on early growth and hormone levels in adolescents.

This study addresses how growth during sensitive developmental periods and genes may affect hormone levels in late adolescence. We analyzed hormone levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), which are hypothesized to be two pathways linking early growth with adult diseases (such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease) via their effects on enhanced insulin resistance. In a twin-sibling study, we tested whether there is an association between reduced intra-uterine growth and higher DHEAS or IGF-I levels in serum during adolescence, and we examined the contribution of insulin to the link between early growth and higher DHEAS and/or IGF-I levels. Anthropometric and hormone data were collected in 18-year-old twins (184 pairs) and their non-twin siblings (n = 98). Neither birth weight nor current body size predicted serum DHEAS and IGF-I levels. In the subsample of children who showed catch-up growth in weight during infancy, the children of lower birth weight had significantly higher serum DHEAS and IGF-I levels, but these were not related to insulin levels. Variation in serum DHEAS, IGF-I and fasting insulin levels was largely explained by genetic factors (73, 78 and 61 % respectively). Thus, early growth affects hormone levels in adolescence, but only in children with catch-up growth after birth. No evidence was found that early growth enhances insulin resistance via the hormones DHEAS or IGF-I.

The performance of serum cortisol, plasma corticotropin and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in the diagnosis of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal dysfunction

Background:There is no single test can identify hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysfunction (HPAD) perfectly. The study aimed to assess the performance of measuring serum cortisol, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and plasma corticotropin (ACTH) in comparison with standard-dose short cosyntropin (250 µg) testing for the diagnosis of HPAD.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study from Al-Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center (FDEMC) in Basrah. For all patients with suspected HAD; baseline serum cortisol, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and plasma corticotropin (ACTH) and were measured, followed by a formal short cosyntropin test as the gold standard test.Results:The total number of the study participant was 169 patients. Of them, 134 (79.3%) were women. Their age ranges from 5-80 years. The cutoff serum cortisol that predicts abnormal short cosyntropin test was less than 5.31µg/dl with maximal sensitivity and specificity of 90.4 % and 92.3% respectively. The cutoff serum DHEA-S that predict abnormal short cosyntropin test was less than 31.11 µg/dl with a sensitivity of 89.2%and specificity of 62.7%.The least reliable parameter to predict the abnormal short cosyntropin was the plasma ACTH level with a cutoff of less than 5.30 pg/ml and lowest sensitivity of 89.2% and specificity of 62.7%.Conclusion:To exclude HPAD, serum cortisol at 9-11 am having the highest predictive value, DHEA-S has the midway function and plasma ACTH is the least reliable for that. Combination of serum cortisol and serum DHEA-S yield the best performance for combinations of test. Keywords: Hypothalamic pituitaryadrenal dysfunction, short cosyntropin test, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, corticotropin,cortisol.Â

Is there a relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in childhood obesity?

In this study, parameters of metabolic syndrome and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in obese children and adolescents were evaluated and the associations between these factors were analyzed. One hundred obese and 40 healthy children/adolescents were included in the study. Pubertal stages, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were recorded. Levels of fasting serum lipids, glucose, insulin, and DHEAS, and liver function tests were determined. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured using two-dimensional echocardiography. Steatorrhoeic hepatosis was evaluated using abdominal ultrasonography in the obese group. Mean body weight, body mass index, waist, hip circumference, waist/hip ratio, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transferase, DHEAS, and CIMT values were significantly higher in the obese group than in the controls. DHEAS levels were found to be positively correlated with waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, and CIMT. Early determination of metabolic and cardiac dysfunction in obese children is important for the prevention of future complications. Since in this study we found a strong association between DHEAS levels and obesity-related metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, we believe that this may lead to increased interest in further studies of DHEAS in the search for new treatment approaches.

Limited Diagnostic Utility of Plasma Adrenocorticotropic Hormone for Differentiation between Adrenal Cushing Syndrome and Cushing Disease.

BackgroundMeasurement of the plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level has been recommended as the first diagnostic test for differentiating between ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome (CS) and ACTH-dependent CS. When plasma ACTH values are inconclusive, a differential diagnosis of CS can be made based upon measurement of the serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) level and results of the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (HDST). The aim of this study was to assess the utility of plasma ACTH to differentiate adrenal CS from Cushing' disease (CD) and compare it with that of the HDST results and serum DHEA-S level.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, multicenter study from January 2000 to May 2012 involving 92 patients with endogenous CS. The levels of plasma ACTH, serum cortisol, 24-hour urine free cortisol (UFC) after the HDST, and serum DHEA-S were measured.ResultsFifty-seven patients had adrenal CS and 35 patients had CD. The area under the curve of plasma ACTH, serum DHEA-S, percentage suppression of serum cortisol, and UFC after HDST were 0.954, 0.841, 0.950, and 0.997, respectively (all P<0.001). The cut-off values for plasma ACTH, percentage suppression of serum cortisol, and UFC after HDST were 5.3 pmol/L, 33.3%, and 61.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of plasma ACTH measurement were 84.2% and 94.3%, those of serum cortisol were 95.8% and 90.6%, and those of UFC after the HDST were 97.9% and 96.7%, respectively.ConclusionSignificant overlap in plasma ACTH levels was seen between patients with adrenal CS and those with CD. The HDST may be useful in differentiating between these forms of the disease, especially when the plasma ACTH level alone is not conclusive.