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Diabetologia
Published in: Diabetologia 1/2017

Open Access 01-01-2017 | Article

Serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels are associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes: the Rotterdam Study

Authors: Adela Brahimaj, Taulant Muka, Maryam Kavousi, Joop S. E. Laven, Abbas Dehghan, Oscar H. Franco

Published in: Diabetologia | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Aims/hypothesis

Previous literature documents controversial results for the impact of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in glucose metabolism. We aimed to assess the associations between serum levels of DHEA and its main derivatives DHEA sulphate (DHEAS) and androstenedione, as well as the ratio of DHEAS to DHEA, and risk of type 2 diabetes.

Methods

We used data on serum levels of DHEA, DHEAS and androstenedione from 5189 middle-aged and elderly men and women from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study. Type 2 diabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose ≥7.0 mmol/l or a non-fasting blood glucose ≥11.1 mmol/l.

Results

During a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 643 patients with incident type 2 diabetes were identified. After adjusting for age, sex, cohort, fasting status, fasting glucose and insulin, and BMI, both serum DHEA levels (per 1 unit natural log-transformed, HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67, 0.87) and serum DHEAS levels (per 1 unit natural log-transformed, HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73, 0.92) were inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in the total population. Further adjustment for alcohol, smoking, physical activity, prevalent cardiovascular disease, serum total cholesterol, use of lipid-lowering medications, systolic BP, treatment for hypertension, C-reactive protein, oestradiol and testosterone did not substantially affect the association between DHEA and incident type 2 diabetes (per 1 unit natural log-transformed, HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65, 0.99), but abolished the association between DHEAS and type 2 diabetes. Androstenedione was not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes, nor was DHEAS to DHEA ratio.

Conclusions/interpretation

DHEA serum levels might be an independent marker of type 2 diabetes.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels are associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes: the Rotterdam Study
Authors
Adela Brahimaj
Taulant Muka
Maryam Kavousi
Joop S. E. Laven
Abbas Dehghan
Oscar H. Franco
Publication date
01-01-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Diabetologia / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 0012-186X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0428
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-016-4136-8

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