J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2002 Jun;9(2):90-96.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels in premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus

• Yun JH
• Ryu SH
• Jung WT
• Lee SW
• An WS
• Lee H
• Son CH
• Kim SE
• Kim DG
• Chung WT

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), the major steroidal product of the human adrenal, is abnormally low in patients with SLE. Moreover, a recent study confirms a positive effect of the precursor DHEA on the disease course in SLE, which supports an etiologically important role of the hormone on SLE. The aim of this study is to search for an interrelation between clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and disease activities and DHEAS in patients with SLE. METHOD: DHEAS were measured by radioimmunoassay kit using 125I-labeled DHEA-SO4 antibody-coated tube in the serum of 48 patients with SLE and in 46 control subjects. Laboratory findings, clinical symptoms, signs and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) in SLE patients were evaluated at blood sampling time.
RESULTS
DHEAS was lower in patients with SLE compared to controls (45.60+/-42.62 mug/dL vs 101.55+/-56.54 mug/dL, p<0.005). The serum DHEAS levels were significantly negative correlation with SLEDAI (r=-0.333, p<0.05). There were significantly negative correlations between daily steroid dose and DHEAS (r=-0.384, p=0.012), and the amount of steroid used during previous 2 months and DHEAS (r=-0.011, p=0.011).
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with SLE have low levels of DHEAS and significant negative correlation between SLEDAI, steroid dose and DHEAS.

Keyword

DHEAS; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

MeSH Terms

Dehydroepiandrosterone*
Female
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*
Radioimmunoassay
Dehydroepiandrosterone