The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of low dose dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in glucocorticoid treated female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty one women ( >or= 5 mg prednisolone/day) were included in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study for 6 months where DHEA was given at 30 mg/20 mg ( <or= 4...

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphated derivative DHEAS are the most abundant circulating steroids, and are derived from the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex. The foetal adrenals synthesise signi®cant quantities of DHEA, but production of this steroid falls postnatally. The onset of adrenarche (between the ages of 6 and 8 years) is characterised by increasing biosynthesis of DHEA...

BACKGROUND Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the most abundant adrenal hormone in man and has been shown to improve immune functions after trauma-hemorrhage. However, it remains unknown whether this agent has any salutary effects on the depressed organ functions under such conditions. HYPOTHESIS Administration of DHEA after trauma-hemorrhage attenuates depressed cardiac and hepatocellular func...

BACKGROUND Dehydroepiandrosterone decreases with age and this reduction has been shown to be associated with physical health in human. Some studies have suggested that the effects of DHEA are exerted after it is biotransformed into more biologically-active hormones in peripheral target cells. This study investigated the effects of DHEA on the testosterone biosynthesis and possible signaling pat...

OBJECTIVES Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) decrease testosterone (T) levels. This study investigated restoration of T and other androgen concentrations during COC use by 'co-administration' of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). STUDY DESIGN In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 99 new COC starters (18-35 years old with body mass index range 18-34 kg/m²), a COC containi...

OBJECTIVE Sjögren's syndrome (SS), an autoimmune disease of exocrine glands, typically starts at the time of adrenopause. We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that SS is characterized by an insufficient androgen effect at the target tissue level. METHODS We searched for androgen response elements (AREs) in the cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (crisp-3) gene. Dehydroepiandrosterone ...

BACKGROUND Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone are widely promoted as antiaging supplements, but the long-term benefits, as compared with potential harm, are unknown. METHODS We performed a 2-year, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study involving 87 elderly men with low levels of the sulfated form of DHEA and bioavailable testosterone and 57 elderly women with low level...

OBJECTIVE A growing body of studies has demonstrated the inverse relationship between DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) and the pathological alterations associated with the metabolic syndrome. However, the mechanism by which DHEA-S treatment operates has not been elucidated completely. Adiponectin, an adipose-specific protein, is thought to have anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Because fa...

Treatment of mice and rats with the adrenal steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), protects against spontaneous and chemically induced tumors. The mechanism of the chemopreventive action of DHEA, however, remains uncertain. DHEA has been reported to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis. Mevalonic acid constitutes the basic precursor not only for cholesterol but also for a variety of nonsterol isop...

Two in vivo bioassays were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as an inhibitor of prostate carcinogenesis in rats. Prostate adenocarcinomas were induced in male Wistar-Unilever rats by a sequential regimen of cyproterone acetate and testosterone propionate, followed by a single i.v. injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and chronic androgen stimulation. In th...