Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-2-2
pubmed:abstractText
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) are adrenal precursors of steroid biosynthesis and centrally acting neurosteroids. Glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficiencies in Addison's disease require life-long hormone replacement, but the associated failure of DHEA synthesis is not corrected. We conducted a randomized, double blind study in which 39 patients with Addison's disease received either 50 mg oral DHEA daily for 12 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout period, then 12 weeks of placebo, or vice versa. After DHEA treatment, levels of DHEAS and Delta(4)-androstenedione rose from subnormal to within the adult physiological range. Total testosterone increased from subnormal to low normal with a fall in serum sex hormone-binding globulin in females, but with no change in either parameter in males. In both sexes, psychological assessment showed significant enhancement of self-esteem with a tendency for improved overall well-being. Mood and fatigue also improved significantly, with benefit being evident in the evenings. No effects on cognitive or sexual function, body composition, lipids, or bone mineral density were observed. Our results indicate that DHEA replacement corrects this steroid deficiency effectively and improves some aspects of psychological function. Beneficial effects in males, independent of circulating testosterone levels, suggest that it may act directly on the central nervous system rather than by augmenting peripheral androgen biosynthesis. These positive effects, in the absence of significant adverse events, suggest a role for DHEA replacement therapy in the treatment of Addison's disease.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
0021-972X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
85
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
4650-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Addison Disease, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Affect, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Aged, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Body Composition, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Bone Density, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Cognition, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Cross-Over Studies, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Dehydroepiandrosterone, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Double-Blind Method, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Fatigue, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Female, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Hormone Replacement Therapy, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Hormones, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Male, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:11134123-Sexual Behavior
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Improvement in mood and fatigue after dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in Addison's disease in a randomized, double blind trial.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Endocrinology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, United Kingdom.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't