title: Reference ranges of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHEA, DHEAS, androstenedione, total and free testosterone determined by TurboFlow-LC-MS/MS and associations to health markers in 304 men.
abstract: We report reference ranges based on LC-MS/MS for testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT) and its precursors, i.e. 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) and androstenedione (Adione), in relation to different health markers and lifestyle factors. The study was based on 304 healthy men aged 30-61 years participating in a population-based cross-sectional study (Health2008). Examination program consisted of a clinical examination, completion of a self-administered questionnaire and blood sampling. Steroid metabolites were measured by a validated and sensitive LC-MS/MS method. Older age-groups were significantly associated with decreased concentrations of DHEA, DHEAS, Adione, and FT, while no significant associations with age were shown for 17-OHP or T. Participants with BMI≥30 kg/m(2) had lower age-related steroid metabolite z-scores compared to participants with BMI<30 kg/m(2), i.e. 17-OHP: -0.51 vs. 0.08 (p<0.001); DHEA: -0.27 vs. 0.09 (p=0.014); Adione: -0.29 vs. 0.09 (p=0.012); T: -0.99 vs. 0.14 (p<0.001); and FT -0.55 vs. 0.05 (p<0.001), respectively. In conclusion, this large study on serum steroid metabolites and concomitant assessment of health markers in healthy men provides age-related reference ranges, and furthermore evaluates the impact of lifestyle factors and metabolic syndrome on androgen metabolite levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damgaard-Olesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Johannsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Holmboe
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Søeborg
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark.
authors.forename: Am
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Nordre Ringvej 57, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Experimental Research, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aadahl
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Nordre Ringvej 57, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Experimental Research, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linneberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, EDMaRC, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: anders.juul@regionh.dk.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juul
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013431:Sulfates / Q000097:blood*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013431:Sulfates; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone
keywords: Androgens; LC–MS/MS; Lifestyle factors; Metabolic syndrome; Reference range; Steroid metabolites