The effect of endogenous dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate on antibody response to hepatitis B vaccine in neonates.
BACKGROUND
DHEAS, the most abundant steroid secreted by the adrenal cortex, is suggested to have an important role in the development of immune reaction by activating T cell function and increasing antibody response, and has been tried as a vaccine adjuvant in elderly people.


OBJECTIVE
We examined the correlation between endogenous DHEAS and antibody response in the neonatal period by comparing the serum DHEAS levels with the amount of antibody response against hepatitis B vaccination in neonates.


METHODS
Vaccine was administered to 12 healthy infants within 24 hours of birth (day 0), and blood specimens were obtained on days 0 and 30 for determination of anti-hepatitis B surface antibody concentration and DHEAS levels.


RESULTS
DHEAS levels varied widely (range 0.38-3.70 micrograms/ml, mean +/- 1SD 2.14 +/- 0.98). While we could identify two groups of patients--those with high DHEAS levels (2.90 +/- 0.56) and those with lower levels (1.30 +/- 0.56)--there was no correlation between DHEAS levels and the antibody response to hepatitis B vaccine (r = -0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In neonates, antibody response to hepatitis B vaccine does not correlate with DHEAS serum levels. These results do not support the usage of DHEAS as a vaccine adjuvant in neonates.
Somekh
E
E
Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology Unit, Beer Sheva, Israel. esomeh@post.tau.ac.il
Dagan
R
R
Hanukoglu
A
A
D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate