Blood levels of the adrenal sex hormone
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEA-S)
may predict an increased risk of coronary heart
disease (CHD) in elderly men, according to a study
published in the Oct. 28 issue of the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology.
Åsa Tivesten, M.D., Ph.D., from University of
Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues used gas and
liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze
baseline levels of DHEA and DHEA-S in a prospective
cohort study (2,416 men; aged 69 to 81 years).
Swedish national registries were used to evaluate
cardiovascular clinical outcomes.
The researchers found that over five years of
follow-up, 302 participants had a CHD event, while
225 had a cerebrovascular disease (CBD) event.
There was an inverse association between both DHEA
and DHEA-S levels and the age-adjusted risk of a CHD
event (hazard ratios, 0.82 and 0.86, respectively).
For risk of CBD events, though, DHEA/-S had no
statistically significant association. Even after
adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk
factors, serum total testosterone and estradiol,
C-reactive protein, and renal function, the
association between DHEA and CHD risk remained
significant. It also remained so after exclusion of
the first 2.6 years of follow-up (an attempt to
reduce reverse causality).
"Low serum levels of DHEA and its sulfate predict an
increased risk of CHD, but not CBD, events in
elderly men," the authors write.
For more information
Dehydroepiandrosterone and its Sulfate Predict the
5-Year Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Events in
Elderly Men.
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