Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in women. Relationships with body mass index, insulin and glucose levels.
OBJECTIVE
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) are the most abundant steroids in human plasma. Previous studies have shown that administration of DHEA-S is more effective than DHEA in reducing adipose tissue mass and cellularity in rats. Another study suggested that maintaining high levels of DHEA-S might prevent the development of obesity. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels with respect to obesity, fasting insulin and glucose levels in a cohort of obese and normal weight healthy Saudi women.


METHODS
This study was carried out at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the year 2001. A total of 65 healthy volunteers between 19-30 years of age with body mass index (BMI) of 15.35-38.30 kg/m2 were grouped into 26 young obese females of BMI > 27 kg/m2 and 39 young lean females of BMI < 27 kg/m2. Weight, height, waist and hip circumference, fasting blood glucose, insulin and DHEA-S levels were measured.


RESULTS
Dehydroepiandrosterone-S levels were found lower in the obese group than in the lean women. In all subjects, DHEA-S levels were related negatively with BMI (p=0.02, correlation co-efficient [r]=-0.25) and hip circumference (p=0.03, r=-0.27). In the obese group, DHEA-S levels showed a significant positive relationship with insulin (p=0.03, r=0.43). No significant relationship was found between DHEA-S and glucose levels in considering either the whole group or the obese women.


CONCLUSIONS
Hip circumference, as a corollary for peripheral obesity, was better associated with DHEA-S than the waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio. The data indicated that BMI and hip circumference are important factors in explaining DHEA-S variability. Insulin could have an independent regulatory effect on DHEA-S secretion, but glucose metabolism is not related.
Al-Harithy
Rowydan N
RN
Womens Biochemistry Department, King Abdul-Aziz University, PO Box 40288, Jeddah 21499, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ralharithy@yahoo.com
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate