title: Relation of adrenal-derived steroids with bone maturation, mineral density and geometry in healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the effects of adrenal steroids on skeletal maturation and bone mass acquisition in healthy prepubertal boys.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study whether adrenal-derived steroids within the physiological range are associated with skeletal maturation, areal and volumetric bone mineral density (aBMD and vBMD) and bone geometry in healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys.
  
  
  METHODS
  98 healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys (aged 6-14 y) were studied cross-sectionally. Androstenedione (A) and estrone (E1) were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and DHEAS was determined by immunoassay. Whole body and lumbar spine aBMD and bone area were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Trabecular (distal site) and cortical (proximal site) vBMD and bone geometry were assessed at the non-dominant forearm and leg using peripheral QCT. Skeletal age was determined by X-ray of the left hand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adrenal-derived steroids (DHEAS, A and E1) are positively associated with bone age in prepubertal and early pubertal children, independently of age. There are no associations between the adrenal-derived steroids and the studied parameters of bone size (lumbar spine and whole body bone area, trabecular or cortical area at the radius or tibia, periosteal circumference and cortical thickness at the radius or tibia) or BMD (aBMD or vBMD).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys, serum adrenal-derived steroid levels, are associated with skeletal maturation, independently of age, but not with bone size or (v)BMD. Our data suggest that adrenal derived steroids are not implicated in the accretion of bone mass before puberty in boys.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. Electronic address: sara.vandewalle@ugent.be.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandewalle
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taes
authors.affiliation: Department of Hormonology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fiers
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toye
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Caenegem
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Brussels University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Schepper
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood*; D015519:Bone Density; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004970:Estrone; D000735:Androstenedione; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
keywords: Adrenal steroids; Bone geometry; Bone maturation; Bone mineral density