Evaluation of the relation between Dehydroepiandrostrone level and Insulin sensitivity

Dehydroepiandrostrone (DHEA) and its sulfate form is an adrenal hormone and is the most common steroidal hormone in body and despite of other adrenal hormones increases with age, so it is called youth fountain. Recently, DHEA is noticed increasingly because of its multiple effects. Its effect on insulin sensitivity is controversial. In this study the relation between Dehydroepiandrostrone (DHEA) level and Insulin sensitivity is investigated. In this cross-sectional analytical study, samples were selected among female relatives of diabetic patients referring to Isfahan Endocrine Research Center. They were divided into three groups including diabetic, impaired glucose tolerance and normal glucose tolerance, each 30 persons. In these groups blood sugar, lipid, CBC, Insulin and DHEA-S levels were evaluated and the rate of Insulin sensitivity was determined using Homeostatic Modle Assessment- Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and the relation between insulin sensitivity rate and DHEA in the three groups was compared. Data was analyzed using one way analysis of variance and t-tests. The mean of variables in the three groups of diabetic, impaired glucose tolerance and normal glucose tolerance for DHEA-S was 127, 113, 129 mcg/dl Insulin 7.7, 1.10, 8.3 mcg/ml HOMA-IR 1.6, 3.5, 1.8 and fasting blood sugar 86, 135, 89 mg/dl respectively. Comparison of mean of variables showed that the difference between DHEA-S in groups was not significant. Also there was no meaningful relationship between DHEA-S and blood sugar. In the group with normal glucose tolerance, DHEA-S with HOMA-IR and insulin had a partial meaningful relation (p<0.06). Overally DHEA has no meaningful relation with insulin sensitivity and HOMA-IR, but this relation is meaningful in the three groups and the relation between DHEA-S with HOMA-IR in the group with normal glucose tolerance is partially meaningful.