TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship of circulating dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, and estradiol to stages of the menopausal transition and ethnicity
AU - Lasley, Bill L.
AU - Santoro, Nanette
AU - Randolf, John F.
AU - Gold, Ellen B
AU - Crawford, Sybil
AU - Weiss, Gerson
AU - McConnell, Daniel S.
AU - Sowers, Mary Fran
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - In this report, 3029 women between the ages of 42 and 54 yr from five ethnic groups were studied for 2 yr. Log circulating dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations were highest among Chinese and Japanese and lowest among African Americans and Hispanics, and this pattern persisted after adjustment for age, smoking, and log body mass index (BMI). With the exception of Japanese women, log BMI was negatively related to log circulating DHEAS. The magnitude of this association varied by ethnic group, and the decline in log circulating DHEAS levels with higher log BMI was steepest for Chinese and least steep for Hispanics. The relationship between log DHEAS and log BMI was positive for Japanese. DHEAS levels did not decline at a steady rate during the menopausal transition and transiently increased in some women and increased, on average, during the transition to late perimenopause. These increases tended to be larger for Chinese, Hispanic, and Japanese than for African Americans and Caucasians, although the interactions were not statistically sigficant. Changes in circulating testosterone and, to a lesser extent, estradiol were correlated to changes in DHEAS. These data have importance in understanding the endocrinology of the menopausal transition, defining the relationship of adrenal steroid production during declining ovarian function and determining a rationale regarding DHEAS supplementation for older women.
AB - In this report, 3029 women between the ages of 42 and 54 yr from five ethnic groups were studied for 2 yr. Log circulating dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations were highest among Chinese and Japanese and lowest among African Americans and Hispanics, and this pattern persisted after adjustment for age, smoking, and log body mass index (BMI). With the exception of Japanese women, log BMI was negatively related to log circulating DHEAS. The magnitude of this association varied by ethnic group, and the decline in log circulating DHEAS levels with higher log BMI was steepest for Chinese and least steep for Hispanics. The relationship between log DHEAS and log BMI was positive for Japanese. DHEAS levels did not decline at a steady rate during the menopausal transition and transiently increased in some women and increased, on average, during the transition to late perimenopause. These increases tended to be larger for Chinese, Hispanic, and Japanese than for African Americans and Caucasians, although the interactions were not statistically sigficant. Changes in circulating testosterone and, to a lesser extent, estradiol were correlated to changes in DHEAS. These data have importance in understanding the endocrinology of the menopausal transition, defining the relationship of adrenal steroid production during declining ovarian function and determining a rationale regarding DHEAS supplementation for older women.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036342551&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036342551&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1210/jc.87.8.3760
DO - 10.1210/jc.87.8.3760
M3 - Article
C2 - 12161507
AN - SCOPUS:0036342551
VL - 87
SP - 3760
EP - 3767
JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
SN - 0021-972X
IS - 8
ER -