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Inflammation Oct 2011Chronic urticaria is a challenging problem since the exact cause and mechanism involved in the disease development have still remained unknown. This disease is... (Review)
Review
Chronic urticaria is a challenging problem since the exact cause and mechanism involved in the disease development have still remained unknown. This disease is associated with mast cells activation and immunoinflammatory processes. Interestingly, dysfunctions of the neuroendocrine-immune system due to stress and other factors seem to appear as a very interesting theory for urticaria pathogenesis. Dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate derivative (DHEA-S) appear to have regulatory effects in immune homeostasis and are regulated by the nervous system, and it is suggested that they may be an integral element of neuroimmunomodulation. Our studies showed substantially decreased serum concentration of DHEA-S in patients with chronic urticaria. However, current knowledge prevents answering whether lower circulating DHEA-S concentration is a primary phenomenon or just an accompanying one which appears as a response of different systems to the course of the illness and may not be of any importance for the pathogenesis of urticaria whatsoever. This review is a summary of clinical research on the role of DHEA in chronic urticaria.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; Female; Humans; Interleukin-6; Male; Neuroimmunomodulation; Urticaria
PubMed: 20686829
DOI: 10.1007/s10753-010-9242-z -
Behavioural Pharmacology Jun 2012Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 7-keto DHEA, and several comparison drugs (ethanol, chlordiazepoxide, rauwolscine, and RO15-4513) were administered to male rats... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 7-keto DHEA, and several comparison drugs (ethanol, chlordiazepoxide, rauwolscine, and RO15-4513) were administered to male rats responding under a multiple schedule of food and ethanol presentation to determine their selectivity for decreasing ethanol-maintained responding. DHEA and 7-keto DHEA significantly decreased both ethanol-maintained and food-maintained responding, compared with the control, while also decreasing the blood ethanol concentration (BEC). Acute ethanol administration also decreased responding for both food and ethanol; however, ethanol-maintained responding was more potently decreased than food-maintained responding. BEC remained relatively stable after increasing ethanol doses. Among the other drugs tested, RO15-4513 was the most selective for decreasing ethanol-maintained responding compared with food-maintained responding, and it decreased BECs as ethanol-maintained responding decreased. The largest dose of rauwolscine significantly decreased responding for food, whereas it did not affect ethanol-maintained responding compared with the control. Low to intermediate doses of rauwolscine produced small, nonsignificant increases in ethanol-maintained responding and BECs. Chlordiazepoxide produced significant decreases in food-maintained responding and the dose of ethanol presented, but only at the highest dose tested. Although DHEA and 7-keto DHEA did not decrease ethanol-maintained responding as selectively as ethanol or RO15-4513 under the multiple schedule, these neurosteroids may be valuable pharmacological tools in the development of new treatments for alcohol abuse and dependence.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Animals; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Ethanol; Male; Rats; Rats, Long-Evans; Reinforcement, Psychology; Yohimbine
PubMed: 22473025
DOI: 10.1097/FBP.0b013e32835342d2 -
Clinical Endocrinology Feb 2019Studies of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) therapy in older adults suggest sex-specific effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition, but the ability of a...
OBJECTIVE
Studies of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) therapy in older adults suggest sex-specific effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition, but the ability of a single study to reach this conclusion was limited. We evaluated the effects of DHEA on sex hormones, BMD, fat mass and fat-free mass in older women and men enrolled in four similar clinical trials.
DESIGN
Pooled analyses of data from four double-blinded, randomized controlled trials.
PARTICIPANTS
Women (n = 295) and men (n = 290) aged 55 years or older who took DHEA or placebo tablet daily for 12 months.
MEASUREMENTS
Twelve-month changes in BMD, fat mass, fat-free mass and serum DHEA sulphate (DHEAS), (17)estradiol, testosterone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).
RESULTS
Women on DHEA had increases (mean ± SD; all P < 0.001 vs placebo) in DHEAS (231 ± 164 µg/dL), testosterone (18.6 ± 20.9 µg/dL), (17)estradiol (8.7 ± 11.0 pg/mL) and IGF-1 (25.1 ± 52.3 ng/mL), and men had increases in DHEAS (269.0 ± 177 µg/dL; P < 0.01), (17)estradiol (4.8 ± 12.2 pg/m; P < 0.01) and IGF-1 (6.3 ± 41.4 ng/mL; P < 0.05). Women on DHEA had increases in lumbar spine (1.0% ± 3.4%) and trochanter (0.5% ± 3.8%) BMD and maintained total hip BMD (0.0% ± 2.8%); men had no BMD benefit and a decrease in fat mass (-0.4 ± 2.6 kg; all P < 0.01 vs placebo).
CONCLUSIONS
Dehydroepiandrosterone therapy may be an effective approach for preserving bone and muscle mass in women. Key questions are (a) the extent to which longer duration DHEA can attenuate the loss of bone and muscle in women, and (b) whether DHEA has a more favourable benefit-to-risk profile for women than oestrogen therapy.
Topics: Aged; Body Composition; Bone Density; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Female; Femur; Hormone Replacement Therapy; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Male; Middle Aged; Pelvic Bones; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sex Factors
PubMed: 30421439
DOI: 10.1111/cen.13901 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2008Interstitial pneumonia can be controlled by the combined use of a prophylactic antibiotic system and the drip infusion system including megadose vitamin C,... (Review)
Review
Interstitial pneumonia can be controlled by the combined use of a prophylactic antibiotic system and the drip infusion system including megadose vitamin C, dehydroepiandrosterone (D) and cortisol (F), a fortified substitute of 3 adrenocortical elements. The response of patients was satisfying with few side-effects of F. It was shown that an excess of vitamin C improved the therapeutic efficacy of D-F complex, and that D and F improved the immunodeficient state of the host. The benefit of D as an adrenal androgen in immunology found another example in the combined use of cyclosporine A (CS) and glucocorticoid (G) in the kidney transplantation clinic: CS and G helps improve graft take by creating a state of androgen excess, as testified in both humans and mice--an alleviation of immune conflict.
Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Infusions, Intravenous; Lung Diseases, Interstitial
PubMed: 18468413
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of Neuroscience : the... Jun 2013Humans and the great apes are the only species demonstrated to exhibit adrenarche, a key endocrine event associated with prepubertal increases in the adrenal production...
Humans and the great apes are the only species demonstrated to exhibit adrenarche, a key endocrine event associated with prepubertal increases in the adrenal production of androgens, most significantly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and to a certain degree testosterone. Adrenarche also coincides with the emergence of the prosocial and neurobehavioral skills of middle childhood and may therefore represent a human-specific stage of development. Both DHEA and testosterone have been reported in animal and in vitro studies to enhance neuronal survival and programmed cell death depending on the timing, dose, and hormonal context involved, and to potentially compete for the same signaling pathways. Yet no extant brain-hormone studies have examined the interaction between DHEA- and testosterone-related cortical maturation in humans. Here, we used linear mixed models to examine changes in cortical thickness associated with salivary DHEA and testosterone levels in a longitudinal sample of developmentally healthy children and adolescents 4-22 years old. DHEA levels were associated with increases in cortical thickness of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right temporoparietal junction, right premotor and right entorhinal cortex between the ages of 4-13 years, a period marked by the androgenic changes of adrenarche. There was also an interaction between DHEA and testosterone on cortical thickness of the right cingulate cortex and occipital pole that was most significant in prepubertal subjects. DHEA and testosterone appear to interact and modulate the complex process of cortical maturation during middle childhood, consistent with evidence at the molecular level of fast/nongenomic and slow/genomic or conversion-based mechanisms underlying androgen-related brain development.
Topics: Adolescent; Aging; Brain; Cerebral Cortex; Child; Child, Preschool; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Female; Functional Laterality; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Puberty; Saliva; Sex Characteristics; Testosterone
PubMed: 23804104
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5747-12.2013 -
PloS One 2021Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a heterogenous endocrine disorder characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, hirsuitism and polycystic ovaries. It is further... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a heterogenous endocrine disorder characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, hirsuitism and polycystic ovaries. It is further complicated by metabolic syndrome, infertility and psychological stress. Although the etiopathogenesis is unclear, many studies have pointed out the role of stress in this syndrome. DHEA, being a stress marker is being used by scientists to compare the stress levels between polycystic ovarian cases and healthy controls. However, the results obtained from previous studies are equivocal.
OBJECTIVE
To perform meta-analysis and find the association between stress and the syndrome.
DATA SOURCES
Relevant data till January 2021 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science using MeSH terms.
STUDY SELECTION
Case-control studies having PCOS subjects as cases and healthy women as controls were selected provided; their basal DHEA levels were mentioned in the published articles.
DATA EXTRACTION
Two authors independently extracted the articles and qualified the final studies.
DATA SYNTHESI
Pooled meta-analysis was done using random effect model and showed level of DHEA statistically significant in PCOS compared to healthy controls (SMD = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.59-1.71).Heterogeneity was statistically significant as well (I2 = 95%).
CONCLUSION
Thismeta-analysis on DHEA and PCOS has helped in generating evidence regarding the involvement of stress in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Topics: Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Female; Humans; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 34932604
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261552 -
European Review For Medical and... Sep 2020We investigated whether DHEA supplementation had an impact on ovarian reserve parameters and pregnancy rates in patients with poor ovarian response (POR) and primary...
OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether DHEA supplementation had an impact on ovarian reserve parameters and pregnancy rates in patients with poor ovarian response (POR) and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 34 people, 6 patients with POI and 28 patients with POR, were included in the study. The patients in the POR group consisted of two different groups: diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and premature ovarian failure (PMOF). Patients in the POI and POR group were given 50 mg DHEA supplementation daily for 5 months. The primary outcome was to determine spontaneous clinical pregnancy rates. The monthly changes in the serum hormone levels and AFC were recorded for five months. AMH levels were also measured before and after treatment.
RESULTS
The total follow-up time was 152 cycles. The number of pregnancies during the follow-up period was 9. The ratio of pregnancies to the number of patients was 26.5% and the rate per cycle was 5.9%. While 8 of 9 pregnancies resulted in a live birth, one resulted in a miscarriage. The rate of abortion was 11.1%. The mean AFC was 0 to 5 before treatment. Following DHEA administration, a significant increase was detected in 30.8% of the patients. There was an increase in AMH levels after DHEA, but this was not significant. The live birth rate and pregnancy rate per cycle were significantly higher in POR patients than those in POF. Patients with POF had no pregnancy. Although the PMOF patients were younger than the DOR patients, the rate of pregnancy (36% vs. 29%), and pregnancy rates per cycle (8.5% vs. 6.35%) were higher in the DOR group. The rates of live birth were the same in the PMOF and DOR groups (29% vs. 29%).
CONCLUSIONS
Oral DHEA supplementation improves both ovarian reserve and pregnancy rates in women with POR.
Topics: Adult; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Dietary Supplements; Female; Humans; Infertility, Female; Ovarian Reserve; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
PubMed: 32965000
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202009_22856 -
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and... Aug 2016We reviewed the influence of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in patients with poor ovarian response (POR) undergoing in vitro fertilization or... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
We reviewed the influence of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in patients with poor ovarian response (POR) undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI).
METHODS
We searched Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library (1980-2015) for relevant papers and used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scoring system to evaluate study quality. Dichotomous data were expressed as pooled relative risk (RR) estimates with fixed or random effect models. Continuous variables were expressed as the weighted mean difference (WMD). All data were analyzed using Revman Software v. 5 and are shown with 95 % confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS
Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. DHEA pretreatment increased the clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.25-1.86), live birth rate (RR 1.87, 95 % CI 1.22-2.88), implantation rate (RR 1.56, 95 % CI 1.20-2.01), and antral follicle count (WMD 0.4, 95 % CI 0.14 to 0.66) while reducing miscarriages (RR 0.50, 95 % CI 0.27-0.90). After subgroup analysis, oocyte numbers and anti-Müllerian hormone levels were also enhanced after DHEA treatment. However, the endometrial thickness and estradiol levels on the day of injecting hCG to induce ovulation were similar between the DHEA supplementation groups and controls.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the limited available evidence, DHEA supplementation seems to improve ovarian reserves and IVF/ICSI outcome in patients with POR. Further research is required to clarify the effect of DHEA exposure in assisted reproduction technology.
Topics: Abortion, Spontaneous; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Endometrium; Female; Humans; Ovarian Reserve; Ovulation Induction; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
PubMed: 27094195
DOI: 10.1007/s10815-016-0713-5 -
Fertility and Sterility Apr 2018
Topics: Adrenal Cortex; Androgens; Corpus Luteum; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Endometrium; Female; Humans
PubMed: 29653715
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.01.027 -
Medical Science Monitor : International... Jan 2019BACKGROUND Currently, statins are used to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND Currently, statins are used to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of statins on serum or plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in women with PCOS. MATERIAL AND METHODS Databases that were searched included PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from their inception to August of 2018. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified that evaluated the impact of statins on plasma DHEA levels in women with PCOS. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the included RCTs. A random-effects model was used to analyze the pooled results. RESULTS Meta-analysis was performed on data from ten published studies that included 735 patients and showed that statin treatment could significantly reduce plasma DHEA levels when compared with controls (SMD, -0.43; 95% CI, -0.81-0.06; p=0.02; I²=82%). Statins were significantly more effective than placebo in reducing the levels of DHEAs. Subgroup analysis based on statin type showed that atorvastatin significantly reduced DHEA levels (SMD, -0.63; 95% CI, -1.20 - -0.05; p=0.03; I²=38%) but simvastatin did not significantly reduce DHEA levels (SMD: -0.14; 95% CI, -0.49-0.28; p=0.43; I²=77%). Subgroup analysis based on duration of treatment showed no significant difference between 12 weeks of statin treatment (SMD, -0.61; 95% CI, -1.23-0.02; p=0.06; I²=85%) and 24 weeks (SMD, -0.34; 95% CI -0.95-0.28; p=0.29; I²=83%). CONCLUSIONS Meta-analysis showed that statins significantly reduced the levels of DHEA when compared with placebo in patients with PCOS.
Topics: Adult; Atorvastatin; China; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Female; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Hypoglycemic Agents; Metformin; Middle Aged; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Simvastatin
PubMed: 30698163
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.914128