title: [External respiratory function and adrenal androgenic function in patients with bronchial asthma].
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess external respiratory function in patients with bronchial asthma (BA) and different serum levels of the adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). A total of 108 patients (59 women and 49 men) of the mean age 38.8+/-13.4 years were involved. Most of them (62 or 57.4%) had a moderately severe disease. Endogenous, exogenous, and mixed forms of BA were diagnosed in 24 (22%), 27 (25%), and 57 (53%) respectively. Serum DHEAS and cortisol were assayed by ELISA. The DHEAS level was found to be significantly higher in men with BA than in women (2.08+/-0.9 mcg/ml and 0.95+/-0.8 mcg/ml respectively), p < 0.001, while serum cortisol was virtually identical. The DHEAS level in patients with exogenous BA was higher than in those with endogenous BA (2.0+/-0.7 and 1.2+/-0.5 mcg/ml respectively), p < 0.05. Cortisol levels did not significantly differ. Single-factor correlation analysis revealed negative correlation between DHEAS level and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (r = 0.53, p < 0.001) . Multifactor regression analysis demonstrated sex and age-independent direct relationship between FEV1 and DHEAS (R2 = 0.60, beta = 0.38, p < 0.001). It is concluded that severe BA is associated with low serum DHEAS manifest as enhanced frequency and duration of asthmatic attacks. External respiratory function in BA patients with lowered DHEAS is characterized by small FEV1 and its insignificant rise in response to berotek therapy.
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Charikova
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shutov
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone