Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate is associated with cardiovascular reactivity to stress in women.
Cardiovascular stress reactivity is a predictor of atherosclerosis and cardiac events. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) protects against cardiovascular diseases, but results among previous studies have been inconsistent. We investigated the association between dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-s) and cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese women and men. Among 979 healthy Japanese subjects (641 women and 338 men), serum levels of DHEA-s, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate, heart rate variability, and peripheral blood flow were measured under rest and two types of task. Mean differences in measured variables during tasks and a post-task period were calculated as changes in stress reactivity. Variables of stress reactivity were adjusted for multiple potential confounding factors. In women, DHEA-s levels showed positive associations with changes in SBP and DBP (standardized beta=0.12, p=0.020; 0.17, 0.002, respectively). Stratification by menopausal status and other lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking status, alcohol consumption) were conducted. Significant positive associations remained in pre-menopausal (standardized beta=0.13, p=0.037; 0.18, 0.005), non-smoking (0.12, 0.010; 0.18, <0.001), and non-drinking women (0.14, 0.021; 0.21, 0.001), and women without a medical history (0.15, 0.020; 0.20, 0.001). In men, there was no significant association between DHEA-s levels and changes in stress reactivity. DHEA-s levels were positively associated with high blood-pressure reactivity to stress in women, and being menopausal, smoking, and alcohol consumption modified this association.
Department of Nursing, Baika Women's University, 2-19-5 Shukunosho, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-8578, Japan; Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: k-umi@umin.ac.jp.
Kumi
K
Hirokawa
Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: fwge1119@mb.infoweb.ne.jp.
Tetsuya
T
Ohira
Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: mnagayoshi@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
Mako
M
Nagayoshi
Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: kajiura@osaka-ganjun.jp.
Mitsugu
M
Kajiura
Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: imano@pbhel.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Hironori
H
Imano
Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: kitamura.biz2012@nifty.com.
Akihiko
A
Kitamura
Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: kiyama@osaka-ganjun.jp.
Masahiko
M
Kiyama
Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan. Electronic address: Tokada@osaka-ganjun.jp.
Takeo
T
Okada
Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: iso@pbhel.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Hiroyasu
H
Iso
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
Aging; Cardiovascular reactivity; Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate; Menopause; Stress