Abstract
The association of low serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels with age, lifestyle, general health status indicators, and specific diseases was investigated in 436 men and 544 women of 65-97yr old. In both sexes low serum DHEAS levels were associated with age, alcohol intake, number of current medications, and decreased thyroid function. Low DHEAS was also associated with low serum albumin in men and low systolic blood pressure in women. Compared to healthy men (n=106) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in men with atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive lung disease, dementia, parkinsonism, cancer, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and in institutionalized men. Compared to healthy women (n=100) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in women with occlusive arterial disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and osteoporosis. After controlling for differences in lifestyle and general health status parameters, low DHEAS levels remained statistically associated only with atrial fibrillation in men and osteoporosis in women, and it cannot be excluded that these association were spurious, due to multiple comparisons. These data suggest that in elderly people low serum DHEAS levels are more a non-specific indicator of aging and health status than a risk indicator of specific diseases.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 701-712 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Experimental Gerontology |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- Cardiovascular disease
- Dehyodroepiandrosterone-sulfate
- Functional status
- General health status
- Osteoporosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ageing
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate serum levels and common age-related diseases : Results from a cross-sectional Italian study of a general elderly population. / Ravaglia, Giovanni; Forti, Paola; Maioli, Fabiola; Sacchetti, Loredana; Nativio, Valeria; Scali, Carmela Renata; Mariani, Erminia; Zanardi, Valerio; Stefanini, Angelo; Macini, Pier Luigi.
In: Experimental Gerontology, Vol. 37, No. 5, 2002, p. 701-712.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate serum levels and common age-related diseases
T2 - Results from a cross-sectional Italian study of a general elderly population
AU - Ravaglia, Giovanni
AU - Forti, Paola
AU - Maioli, Fabiola
AU - Sacchetti, Loredana
AU - Nativio, Valeria
AU - Scali, Carmela Renata
AU - Mariani, Erminia
AU - Zanardi, Valerio
AU - Stefanini, Angelo
AU - Macini, Pier Luigi
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The association of low serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels with age, lifestyle, general health status indicators, and specific diseases was investigated in 436 men and 544 women of 65-97yr old. In both sexes low serum DHEAS levels were associated with age, alcohol intake, number of current medications, and decreased thyroid function. Low DHEAS was also associated with low serum albumin in men and low systolic blood pressure in women. Compared to healthy men (n=106) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in men with atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive lung disease, dementia, parkinsonism, cancer, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and in institutionalized men. Compared to healthy women (n=100) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in women with occlusive arterial disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and osteoporosis. After controlling for differences in lifestyle and general health status parameters, low DHEAS levels remained statistically associated only with atrial fibrillation in men and osteoporosis in women, and it cannot be excluded that these association were spurious, due to multiple comparisons. These data suggest that in elderly people low serum DHEAS levels are more a non-specific indicator of aging and health status than a risk indicator of specific diseases.
AB - The association of low serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels with age, lifestyle, general health status indicators, and specific diseases was investigated in 436 men and 544 women of 65-97yr old. In both sexes low serum DHEAS levels were associated with age, alcohol intake, number of current medications, and decreased thyroid function. Low DHEAS was also associated with low serum albumin in men and low systolic blood pressure in women. Compared to healthy men (n=106) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in men with atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive lung disease, dementia, parkinsonism, cancer, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and in institutionalized men. Compared to healthy women (n=100) age-adjusted serum DHEAS levels were significantly lower in women with occlusive arterial disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and osteoporosis. After controlling for differences in lifestyle and general health status parameters, low DHEAS levels remained statistically associated only with atrial fibrillation in men and osteoporosis in women, and it cannot be excluded that these association were spurious, due to multiple comparisons. These data suggest that in elderly people low serum DHEAS levels are more a non-specific indicator of aging and health status than a risk indicator of specific diseases.
KW - Aging
KW - Cardiovascular disease
KW - Dehyodroepiandrosterone-sulfate
KW - Functional status
KW - General health status
KW - Osteoporosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=18344397319&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=18344397319&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00232-7
DO - 10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00232-7
M3 - Article
VL - 37
SP - 701
EP - 712
JO - Experimental Gerontology
JF - Experimental Gerontology
SN - 0531-5565
IS - 5
ER -