Endocrine Abstracts

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate (DHEAS) are weak adrenal androgens, which may exert anabolic effect on bone tissue.

We have measured serum DHEAS levels and bone mineral density in lumbar spine and femoral neck in 131 healthy, agile, postmenopausal women aged 59–89. There were no diseases which aggravate bone loss and no hormonal replacement therapy in medical history of participants.

Women were divided into groups:

1 according to DHEAS concentrations:

a. With extremely low (<500 ng/ml) versus

b. moderate-low (>500 ng/ml) serum DHEAS concentrations

2. according to BMD:

a. “Low lumbar spine BMD”, with T-score L2/L4 <−2 versus

b. T-score L2/L4 >−2.0

In 76 women with very low serum DHEAS (DHEAS=258±89 ng/ml) femoral neck BMD was significantly lower than in 55 women with moderate-low serum DHEAS (T-score=−1.15±0.51 vs. −0,89±0,6 P<0.05). There was no significant difference in L2/L4 BMD (T-score=−0.68±1.17 vs. T-score=−0.45±1.38 ns).

In 30 women with low lumbar BMD (Tscore=−2.71±0.44) serum DHEAS was significantly lower than in other women (432±89 ng/ml vs. 498±92 ng/ml P<0.05).

There was also significant difference between femoral neck BMD in these groups (T-score=−1.56±0.61 vs. T-score=0.84±0.69 P<0.05)

We have concluded, that women with low DHEAS concentrations have lower femoral neck BMD and women with low lumbar and femoral neck BMD have lower DHEAS concentrations. These findings confirm possible role of adrenal androgens in maintenance bone mass in elderly women.