ABSTRACT
Dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] or it's sulfate derivative [DHEA-S] is the major C19 steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex. It has been claimed that it has an inverse correlation with atherogenesis through its antiproliferative effect. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of DHEA-S on coronary artery disease[CAD]. In a prospective randomized study 202 patients with possible coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography between January 1999 and June 1999 were studied. They were allocated into two groups, group 1 [n=142, female: 39, male: 103] included patients who had more than 75% cross sectional area narrowing of at least one coronary artery, and group 2 [n=60, female: 28, male: 32] included patients who had no coronary artery disease. The age range was 18-75 years, and it was matched between the two groups. Level of DHEA-S [measured by two different methods; ELISA and RIA], fasting blood sugar, and full lipid profile [TG, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C] were measured in both groups. Other major coronary risk factors were also compared between the two groups. The level of DHEA-S had an inverse linear correlation with age [r=-0.34 and p<0.01]. There was no statistically significant correlation between the level of DHEA-S and coronary artery disease in different age groups in males or females. Likewise, there was no statistically significant correlation between the level of DHEA-S and blood sugar [p=0.08], HDL [p=0.41], LDL [p=0.09], body mass index [p=0.4], hypertension and current smoking. The present study does not confirm an inverse correlation between DHEA-S and coronary artery disease