Relation of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate with cardiovascular disease risk factors in women: longitudinal results from the Massachusetts Women's Health Study

Low circulating levels of the adrenal steroids dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) are thought to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in men. In women, either a positive or null association with CVD has been found. The nature of the relation between DHEAS and CVD risk factors in women is unclear and is based on cross-sectional data. We present results from a longitudinal investigation of serum DHEA and DHEAS and cardiovascular disease risk factors in 236 women, initially 50-60 years old, from a population-based prospective (1986-1995) study of the menopausal transition. We used generalized estimating equations to model the relation of serum DHEA and DHEAS to systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum levels of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoproteins A and B, adjusting for other factors related to CVD. Both DHEA and DHEAS were positively related to diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and DHEAS was negatively related to apolipoprotein A. DHEA and DHEAS were also positively related to smoking, alcohol use, estrone, and estradiol levels, and inversely related to age. Our results suggest that higher levels of DHEA and DHEAS in middle-aged women may indicate increased CVD risk.     

Relation of nutrients and hormones in polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance, infertility, and hirsutism, common characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), improve with even modest weight loss. Optimal dietary treatment for PCOS is not known. OBJECTIVE: We compared the effects of acute protein administration with those of glucose challenges on hormones related to obesity and insulin resistance (ie, cortisol and insulin), hirsutism [ie, dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione], and hunger (ie, ghrelin). DESIGN: Patients with PCOS (n = 28; aged 26 +/- 2 y) were tested with a 5-h oral-glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) and a euvolemic, euenergetic protein challenge. RESULTS: Glucose ingestion caused larger fluctuations in blood glucose and more hyperinsulinemia than did protein (P < 0.01, overall treatment-by-time interaction). During the protein challenge, cortisol and DHEA declined over 5 h. During OGTT, cortisol and DHEA increased after the third hour and began to show significant divergence from protein from the fourth hour (P 相似文献   

Prevention of high fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in male wistar rats by aqueous extract of Tamarindus indica seed

Tamarindus indica is used as a traditional treatment for diabetes. To elucidate whether Tamarindus indica seed aqueous extract (TSE) ameliorates metabolic syndrome in hyperinsulinemic rats, we evaluated serum insulin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and glucose levels in fructose-fed rats. Animals were divided into three groups; control (C) receiving tap water, fructose-fed (F) and TSE-treated fructose-fed rats (F-T) both receiving tap water supplemented with 10% (w/v) fructose. Water was prepared every day for a period of 8 weeks for all three groups. F-T rats were fed with TSE via gavage feeding at the dose of 20 mg/0.5 ml distilled water/100 g body weight per day. Fasting serum glucose levels of three groups were comparable. TSE treatment prevented the increase in fasting serum insulin, TG, TC, VLDL, and LDL in the F-T group (P<0.01) when comparing with the F group. Fructose feeding led to a decrease in fasting serum DHEAS, and HDL levels in the F group (P<0.01) compared with the control. TSE treatment prevented the decrease in fasting serum DHEAS, and HDL levels in the F-T group (P<0.01) while these results were not seen in control rats. It is indicated that the hyperinsulinemia in fructose-fed insulin resistant rats are associated with low levels of DHEAS, and HDL; and high levels of TC, VLDL, LDL, and TG. TSE supplementation probably ameliorates metabolic syndrome due to the improved insulin action.     

Low dehydroepiandrosterone and ischemic heart disease in middle-aged men: prospective results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study

The adrenal steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEAS) have been characterized as "protective" against ischemic heart disease (IHD), especially in men, on the basis of sparse epidemiologic evidence. The authors used data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, a random sample prospective study of 1,709 men aged 40-70 years at baseline, to test whether serum levels of DHEA or DHEAS could predict incident IHD over a 9-year interval. At baseline (1987-1989) and follow-up (1995-1997), an interviewer-phlebotomist visited each subject in his home to obtain comprehensive health information, body measurements, and blood samples for hormone and lipid analysis. Incident IHD between baseline and follow-up was ascertained from hospital records and death registries, supplemented by self-report and evidence of medication. In the analysis sample of 1,167 men, those with serum DHEAS in the lowest quartile at baseline (<1.6 microg/ml) were significantly more likely to incur IHD by follow-up (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60, 95 percent confidence interval: 1.07, 2.39; p = 0.02), independently of a comprehensive set of known risk factors including age, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, serum lipids, alcohol intake, and physical activity. Low serum DHEA was similarly predictive. These results confirm prior evidence that low DHEA and DHEAS can predict IHD in men.     

#19 Associations of maternal and umbilical cord hormone concentrations with maternal,gestational and neonatal factors

PURPOSE: High birth weight has been associated with adult breast and prostate cancer risk in epidemiologic studies and is hypothesized to be mediated through higher in utero estrogen concentrations. This hypothesis is based on maternal estrogen concen- trations, while limited data exist on the fetal circulation.METHODS: Concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone, estradiol, estriol, estrone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-Sulfate (DHEAS) were measured in maternal and mixed umbilical cord sera from 86 normal, singleton pregnancies. Maternal samples were collected at admission for labor and delivery.RESULTS: In the maternal sera, only estriol was positively correlated with gestational age (Spearman r = 0.35 ) and birth size including, birth weight (r = 0.36), length (r = 0.30) and head circumference (r = 0.25). Cord DHEAS concentrations, but none of the other hormones, were positively correlated with gestational age (r = 0.32), birth weight (r = 0.34), birth length (r = 0.41) and head circumference (r = 0.24). In linear regression analyses, maternal estriol and cord DHEAS predicted birth weight after adjustment for gestational age. No other hormones were independently associated with birth weight. Inspection of mean hormone levels by strata of birth weight (<2500, 2500–3499, 3500+), however, revealed nonlinear relations with the lowest birth weight babies having the lowest maternal estriol and cord DHEAS and no consistent pattern in the upper two categories.CONCLUSION: These data show an association between hormone concentrations and birth weight, however, the hormones involved and their patterns of association differ between the fetal and maternal results. In addition, these data are not consistent with the hypothesis that higher estrogen concentrations in high birth weight babies mediate the positive association with breast cancer risk observed in epidemiologic studies.     

Serum ghrelin levels in response to glucose load in obese subjects post-gastric bypass surgery

OBJECTIVE: We sought to elucidate further the mechanisms leading to weight loss after gastric bypass (GBP) surgery in morbidly obese individuals. Ghrelin is a gastroenteric appetite-stimulating peptide hormone, fasting levels of which decrease with increasing adiposity and increase with diet-induced weight loss. In addition, ghrelin levels rapidly decline postprandially. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We measured serum ghrelin responses to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in 6 subjects who had undergone GBP surgery 1.5 +/- 0.7 years before testing and compared these responses with 6 obese subjects about to undergo GBP surgery, 6 obese nonsurgical subjects (matched for BMI to the post-GBP surgical group), and 5 lean subjects. RESULTS: Despite weight loss induced by the GBP surgery, fasting serum ghrelin levels were significantly lower in the post-GBP surgery group than in the lean subject (by 57%) or pre-GBP surgery (by 45%) group. Serum ghrelin levels during the OGTT were significantly lower in postoperative than in lean, obese pre-GBP surgical, or obese nonsurgical subjects. The magnitude of the decline in serum ghrelin levels between 0 and 120 minutes post-OGTT was significantly smaller in postoperative (by 62%), obese pre-GBP surgical (by 80%), or obese nonsurgical (by 69%) subjects in comparison with lean subjects. DISCUSSION: Serum ghrelin levels in response to OGTT are lower in subjects post-GBP surgery than in either lean or obese subjects. Tonically low serum ghrelin levels may be involved in the mechanisms inducing sustained weight loss after GBP surgery.     

多囊卵巢综合征患者CRP、hsCRP的变化与心血管疾病的相关性分析

目的:研究多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)患者C-反应蛋白(CRP)、超敏C-反应蛋白(hsCRP)的变化与肥胖、胰岛素抵抗和高雄激素血症的关系,探讨多囊卵巢综合征患者易患心血管疾病的危险因素。方法:64例PCOS和年龄、体重匹配的20例同期就诊的输卵管性不孕患者进行体重指数(BMI)、葡萄糖耐量试验(OGTT)、血清胰岛素(INS)、C-反应蛋白(CRP)、超敏C-反应蛋白(hsCRP)、血清睾酮(T)的测定,比较CRP、hsCRP在不同代谢特点的PCOS患者中和对照组中的变化。结果:PCOS组与对照组相比,CRP、hsCRP差异无显著性;PCOS中肥胖组与非肥胖组比较,CRP、hsCRP差异无显著性;PCOS中胰岛素抵抗组与非胰岛素抵抗组比较,CRP、hsCRP差异无显著性;PCOS中高睾酮组与正常睾酮组CRP、hsCRP差异有显著性(P<0.05)。结论:伴有高雄激素血症的PCOS患者远期心血管疾病的发生率可能较高。     

Fat intake is associated with serum estrogen and androgen concentrations in postmenopausal Japanese women

A reduction in fat intake has been associated with decreased estrogen levels in dietary intervention studies. However, previous cross-sectional studies conducted mainly among Western populations did not find a positive association between fat intake and postmenopausal estrogen levels. This study examined the cross-sectional association of fat intake with serum levels of estrone, estradiol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in women. Study subjects were 324 healthy postmenopausal Japanese women. Diet including fat intake was assessed by a validated semiquantitative FFQ. After controlling for age and other potential breast cancer risk factors, serum estrone was positively associated with the percentage of energy from total fat (P = 0.04). The associations of serum estrone with monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat were of borderline significance (P = 0.05). Serum DHEAS was positively associated with the percentage of energy from total fat (P = 0.007), saturated fat (P = 0.009), monounsaturated fat (P = 0.006), and polyunsaturated fat (P = 0.04). Serum estrone and DHEAS concentrations increased 11.8 and 9.3%, respectively, with a 5% increase in the percentage of energy from total fat. These data suggest that a high intake of fat is associated with higher serum levels of estrone and DHEAS in postmenopausal women.     

Offspring birth weight and cardiovascular risk in parents: a population-based HUNT 2 study

Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in later life. The fetal insulin hypothesis suggests that shared genetic factors partly explain this association. If fetal genes predispose to both low birth weight and cardiovascular disease in adulthood, fathers of offspring with low birth weight should display an unfavorable profile of cardiovascular risk factors. To study this, the authors linked data on more than 14,000 parents, collected from the second Health Study of Nord Tr?ndelag County, Norway (HUNT 2, 1995-1997), to offspring data from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry (1967-2005). Linear regression was used to study associations of offspring birth weight for gestational age with the parents' body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose, and serum lipids. All analyses were adjusted for shared environment by means of the socioeconomic measures, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors of the partner. The authors found that low offspring birth weight for gestational age was associated with increased paternal blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and unfavorable levels of glucose and lipids. For mothers, associations similar to those for fathers were found for blood pressure, whereas associations in the opposite direction were found for glucose, lipids, and body mass index. The paternal findings strengthen the genetic hypothesis.     

Comparison of dehydroepiandrosterone and clofibric acid treatments in obese Zucker rats

The effects of either dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or clofibric acid (CFA) treatment on obese female Zucker rats were compared. After 5 wk of treatment, food intake, body weight gain and food efficiency ratio of DHEA-treated rats were 85, 64 and 75%, respectively, of those of CFA-treated and control rats. Liver weights of DHEA- and CFA-treated rats were higher than those of control rats. Non-fasting serum glucose levels were similar in all groups, but serum insulin level of DHEA-treated rats was 59% of that in CFA-treated and control rats. Results of glucose tolerance tests were not different among the groups. Mitochondrial state 3 and 4 rates expressed per g liver or per liver with either glutamate-malate or succinate as substrate were higher in DHEA-treated rats than in CFA-treated or control rats. Mitochondrial long-chain fatty acyl-CoA hydrolase activity was 8.5 and 4 times higher in DHEA- and CFA-treated rats, respectively, than in control rats. These results suggest that although DHEA and CFA affect some hepatic biochemical parameters similarly, they are distinct in their effects on body weight, serum insulin and mitochondrial respiration in obese Zucker rats.     

Associations of prepregnancy cardiovascular risk factors with the offspring's birth weight

Low birth weight of offspring has been associated with increased risk of maternal cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular risk factors measured within pregnancy have been related to offspring birth weight. It is not clear whether cardiovascular risk factors assessed prior to pregnancy are associated with the offspring's birth weight. The authors combined baseline data from 3,461 women in the HUNT Study (1995-1997) and data on deliveries from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway up to 2005. They used linear regression to prospectively study associations between diastolic and systolic blood pressures, concentrations of triglycerides, serum total cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol measured before conception and birth weight for gestational age of the offspring. Blood pressure measured before pregnancy was inversely associated with birth weight for gestational age, whereas unfavorable levels of serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose were positively associated with birth weight for gestational age. Thus, women with relatively high blood pressure tend to deliver small babies, whereas women with unfavorable lipid levels tend to give birth to large babies, suggesting reduced glucose tolerance. These findings suggest that low as well as high birth weight of the offspring may indicate increased cardiovascular risk for the mother.     

Association of serum phosphate levels with glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in non-diabetic subjects

BACKGROUND: Hypophosphatemia is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in primary hyperparathyroidism. However, little is known about the association between serum phosphate and glucose metabolism in healthy subjects. METHODS: We measured fasting serum phosphate levels (SP, normal range 2.6-4.5 mg/dl) and serum calcium (S-Ca, normal range 2.1-2.6 mmol/l) in 881 non-diabetic subjects (341 male/540 female, age: 38+/-1 years, body mass index 25.9+/-0.2 kg/m(2) (mean+/-standard error of the mean). An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with determination of glucose and insulin every 30 min was performed in all subjects. Insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity (IS) were estimated from the OGTT using validated indices. Furthermore, we tested whether serum phosphate predicts glucose tolerance in 115 subjects during a lifestyle intervention program (LIP). RESULTS: Serum phosphate was negatively correlated with 2-h blood glucose levels independent of age, gender and percent body fat (r=-0.13, P<0.0001). This association remained significant after additional adjustment for S-Ca, creatinine and parathyroid hormone. Serum phosphate was positively correlated with IS (r=0.10, P=0.0006), but not with insulin secretion. This was independent of age, gender, percent body fat, S-Ca and serum creatinine. In the subjects taking part in the LIP low serum phosphate levels at baseline were associated with higher postprandial glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS: In non-diabetic subjects, low serum phosphate levels are associated with high 2-h blood glucose levels and reduced IS. Whether low serum phosphate levels are a cause or a consequence of low IS and impairment of glucose tolerance needs to be tested in further studies.     

Comparison of metabolic risk profiles between subjects with fasting and 2-hour plasma glucose impairment: The Kinmen Study.

A two-step screening strategy was used to compare the metabolic risk profiles between subjects from Kinmen, Taiwan, who had fasting and 2-hr plasma glucose impairment and were considered at high risk of diabetes due to a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) between 5.6 and 7.8 mmol/l at the baseline screening. 1855 subjects without a previous diagnosis of diabetes who had an FPG of 5.6-7.8 mmol/l at the first step of screening were invited to undergo an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) for the second step of screening, and 1456 of these subjects (774 males and 682 females) completed the OGTT. Subjects who completed the OGTT were classified into normal, isolated impaired fasting glucose (isolated IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (isolated IGT), both IFG and IGT, or undiagnosed diabetes groups. Sex-specific, age-adjusted mean values of metabolic risk profiles for various categories of glucose intolerance were calculated. The results for IFG and IGT agreed in only 20.8% of subjects. The clinical features of subjects with IGT (2-hr glucose impairment) were associated with cardiovascular risk profiles, while those subjects with isolated IFG (fasting glucose impairment only) were not. If the definition of IFG alone had been used for glucose intolerance screening, about 66.6% of subjects with IGT (i.e., isolated IGT with 2-hr glucose impairment and a normal fasting state) who had cardiovascular risk profiles would have been undetected.     

Problematic drinking and physiological responses among female college students

Problematic drinking is a widespread problem among college students, and can contribute to alcohol dependence during later adulthood, particularly among females. The current study assessed vulnerability for alcohol-related consequences by comparing self-reported drinking with coping styles and physiological and behavioral stress responses during a challenging task. Cardiovascular measurements and saliva samples were taken from 88 female students at the beginning of the experiment and after the task. Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) activity was measured by assessing cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) salivary levels. The behavioral task consisted of a set of three anagrams of increasing difficulty, the last of which had no possible solution, to test the distress tolerance of the participants. Results showed that the majority of participants (70%) reported drinking in the six months prior to data collection, most of whom reported at least one incident of binge drinking. Excessive alcohol use was related to an impaired physiological response to stress during the impossible task. College students who drank to cope with stress had significantly higher basal levels of cortisol and DHEA, an indication of HPA axis over-regulation, while their stress response remained remarkably flat. Self-reported consequences of drinking were related to motives for drinking and lower DHEA levels. Regression analysis indicated that higher cortisol levels mediated the relationship between motives for drinking and problematic drinking.     

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone treatment in rats with diet-induced obesity

Previous studies showed that administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to lean and genetically obese Zucker rats reduced body weight. In the present experiments, the effect of DHEA treatment in rats with diet-induced obesity was evaluated. In experiment 1, male Sprague-Dawley rats (300 g) were fed a nonpurified diet (reference group) or a condensed milk-corn oil nonpurified diet [diet-induced obese (DIO) rats] for 7 wk. Then, 0.6% DHEA was included in the food of one-half of the DIO rats (DIO + DHEA rats). After 6 wk, DIO rats weighed 23% more and had greater fat pad weights, cell size and cell number than reference and DIO + DHEA rats. Brown fat mitochondrial respiration was similar in all groups. DIO rats had higher serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations than reference and DIO + DHEA rats. DIO + DHEA rats had lower serum insulin levels than DIO and reference rats. In experiment 2, male Sprague-Dawley rats (460 g) were fed either the nonpurified diet or the condensed milk diet for 8 wk. Condensed milk-fed rats were then divided into DIO and diet-resistant groups. One-half of the rats in each group were fed 0.6% DHEA for 2 wk. Body weights and serum glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol and triiodothyronine levels were lowered by DHEA treatment in all groups. Liver mitochondrial state 3 respiration rates per gram and per liver and peroxisomal beta-oxidation were higher in DHEA-treated than in control rats. In DIO rats, DHEA treatment appears to interfere with hyperplastic adipose tissue growth. In this strain of rats, DHEA appears to have hypolipidemic and hypoinsulinemic effects.     

Circulating levels of neuroactive steroids in patients with binge eating disorder: a comparison with nonobese healthy controls and non-binge eating obese subjects

OBJECTIVES: Increased plasma levels of allopregnenolone (3alpha,5alpha-tetrahydroprogesterone [3alpha,5alpha-THP]), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulphate (DHEA-S) have been reported in patients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. To assess whether those changes are related to malnutrition, we investigated plasma levels of neuroactive steroids in women with binge eating disorder (BED) who compulsively binge as bulimic patients, but do not incur malnutrition. METHODS: Sixty-eight women participated in the study (31 nonobese healthy controls, 9 nonobese patients with BED, 16 obese patients with BED, and 12 obese non-binge eating women). Blood samples were collected in the morning for determination of plasma levels of 3alpha,5alpha-THP, DHEA, DHEA-S, and cortisol. RESULTS: Nonobese BED women had significantly higher plasma levels of DHEA, DHEA-S, and 3alpha,5alpha-THP than nonobese healthy women. Similarly, obese individuals with BED exhibited significantly higher neurosteroid plasma levels than non-binge eating obese subjects. No significant differences in plasma cortisol levels were observed among the groups. DISCUSSION: This study shows increased plasma levels of neuroactive steroids in BED patients. These findings could have been influenced by methodologic limitations (e.g., the absence of diurnal sampling). However, they suggest that if malnutrition is involved in the determination of increased plasma levels of neuroactive steroids in people with anorexia or bulimia nervosa, then different factors may induce similar effects in people with BED. Alternatively, common unknown factors could be responsible for neurosteroid changes in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and BED.     

Plasma adiponectin levels in overweight and obese Asians

OBJECTIVE: Hypoadiponectin has been documented in subjects with obesity, diabetes mellitus, or coronary heart disease, suggesting a potential use of plasma adiponectin in following the clinical progress in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). In this study, we investigated the plasma adiponectin levels in relation to the variables of MS among overweight/obese Asian subjects. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The plasma adiponectin, anthropometric and biochemical measurements, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and modified insulin suppression tests were performed on 180 overweight/obese Asian subjects [body mass index (BMI) >or= 23 kg/m(2)], including 47 subjects with morbid obesity (BMI >or= 40 kg/m(2)). RESULTS: The plasma adiponectin levels negatively correlated with BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, triglyceride, uric acid levels, hyperinsulinemia, and glucose intolerance in OGTT, but positively with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In contrast, they were not related to blood pressure and total cholesterol. Moreover, insulin sensitivity, measured by quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) or in insulin suppression tests, significantly correlated with the plasma adiponectin levels. Among morbidly obese subjects, only the waist-to-hip ratio correlated with the plasma adiponectin levels. Using multivariate linear regression models, the area under curve of plasma glucose in OGTT and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol among the overweight/obese subjects and WHR among the morbidly obese subjects were significantly related to the plasma adiponectin levels after adjustment for other variables. DISCUSSION: In overweight/obese Asians, the plasma adiponectin levels significantly correlated with various indices of MS except hypertension. Whether the plasma adiponectin level could be a suitable biomarker for following the clinical progress of MS warrants further investigation.     

Role of prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone) in substitution therapy for adrenocortical insufficiency]

Prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA) is a steroid hormone from the adrenal cortex with weak androgenic properties. It can be converted into stronger acting steroids with both androgenic and oestrogenic properties. DHEA also appears to have an affinity with certain receptors in the brain and can act as a neurosteroid. Patients with primary or secondary adrenocortical insufficiency exhibit a marked decrease in DHEA production and the added value of DHEA replacement in these patients has been investigated in three recently published trials. With a daily dose of 50 mg DHEA, the plasma levels of DHEAS (the sulphate of DHEA) increase to levels within the normal range and beneficial effects have been demonstrated for several psychological parameters such as mood, fatigue, general well-being and sexual function. The androgenic side effects on skin and hair appear to be both moderate and acceptable. For patients with adrenocortical insufficiency who function suboptimally despite adequate replacement therapy with glucocorticosteroids and (if indicated) mineralocorticosteroids, these results would seem to justify treatment with a replacement dose of DHEA.     

亚健康状态与心血管疾病危险因素关系

目的探讨亚健康状态与血清皮质醇以及血压、血糖和血脂等心血管疾病危险因素的关系。方法选取首都医科大学附属宣武医院体检中心的健康体检者,进行一般情况和亚健康状态问卷(SHSQ-25)调查,采集静脉血检测血清皮质醇、血糖和血脂相关指标并测量血压;共获得资料完整者812人,以亚健康状态问卷总分≥35分为亚健康组,<35分作为对照组,比较2组人群各检测指标差异,并采用结构方程模型分析亚健康状态与心血管疾病危险因素的关系。结果亚健康组收缩压、空腹血糖、总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白以及血清皮质醇水平均高于对照组(P<0.05);结构方程模型分析结果表明,亚健康人群应激水平与心血管疾病危险因素存在相关性,拟合指数(GFI)=0.998 8,调整拟合指数(AGFI)=0.993 6,平均残差率的根(RMSR)=0.429 8(95%CI=0.388 3～0.472 8),模型中各通径系数均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论亚健康状态与应激及心血管疾病危险因素相关。     

Higher serum concentrations of DHEAS predict improved nutritional status in helminth-infected children, adolescents, and young adults in Leyte, the Philippines

Pubertal development and associated downmodulation of proinflammatory cytokines may predict improved nutritional status, independent of chronic parasite infections, in developing countries. We enrolled 731 individuals, aged 7-30 y, from Leyte, the Philippines, where helminth infections and nutritional morbidity are highly prevalent. The following data were collected: venous blood hemoglobin and serum concentrations of ferritin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), C-reactive protein and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and soluble TNF receptor I); anthropometric measurements to calculate upper arm muscle area Z-score and sum of triceps and subscapular skinfolds Z-score; stool samples to determine Schistosoma japonicum and geohelminth egg counts; and responses to questionnaires assessing socio-economic status. In cross-sectional multilevel linear and logistic regression analyses adjusted for confounders, relations were assessed between 1) DHEAS and nutritional status, 2) DHEAS and proinflammatory cytokines, and 3) nutritional status and proinflammatory cytokines. Independent of age, socio-economic status, and helminth infections, increased levels of DHEAS were associated with improved nutritional status and decreased prevalence of non-iron deficiency anemia in both males and females. DHEAS showed dose-dependent inverse associations with C-reactive protein (P=0.08) and the production of IL-6 (P<0.0001). These inflammatory markers, in turn, were consistently associated with undernutrition and anemia. The results suggest that the puberty-associated rise in DHEAS downmodulates proinflammatory immune responses and thereby reduces undernutrition and anemia in a population experiencing a high burden of chronic helminth infections. This novel regulatory mechanism of inflammation-related nutritional morbidity emphasizes the importance of treating prepubescent children for helminth infections.