Serum DHEA-S Level Is Associated with the Presence of Atherosclerosis in Postmenopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

• Published in: ENDOCRINE JOURNAL Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 667 - 675
• Main Authors: IPPEI KANAZAWA, TORU YAMAGUCHI, MASAHIRO YAMAMOTO, MIKA YAMAUCHI, SOICHI KURIOKA, SHOZO YANO, TOSHITSUGU SUGIMOTO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Endocrine Society 2008
• ISSN: 0918-8959; 1348-4540

Abstract. We investigated the relationship between serum dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) to various parameters for atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes. The levels of DHEA-S and IGF-I are known to decrease with aging and thereby might be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One hundred forty-eight men and 106 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes were assessed in a cross-sectional study. Serum DHEA-S and IGF-I concentrations were measured and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ultrasonographically-evaluated intima-media thickness (IMT) were assessed. Although simple regression analysis showed that log(DHEA-S) and IGF-I in men and log(DHEA-S) in women were significantly and inversely correlated with baPW V and IMT, only log(DHEA-S) in women was still significantly and inversely correlated with these atherosclerotic parameters after multiple regression analysis was adjusted for age, duration of diabetes, BMI, HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, LDL-Cholesterol (C), serum creatinine, and smoking (Brinkman index). Serum DHEA-S level seemed to be associated with atherosclerosis in diabetic postmenopausal women independent of age, body stature, diabetic status, and other atherosclerotic risk factors, and might be a useful addition to other parameters for assessing the risk of atherosclerosis in this population.