Dehydroepiandrosterone behavior and lipid profile in non-obese women undergoing abdominoplasty

The aim of this study was to determine any change in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and lipid profile in non-obese women after abdominoplasty.

An auto-controlled clinical trial was carried out. 9 women aged 35 to 40 years with BMI 22-25 kg/m2 were studied. Basal lipid profile and DHEA were performed and repeated 1 month postoperatively. Statistical analysis used Wilcoxon signed-ranks test (two-tailed).

Weight of resected specimen was 606.11 +/- 143.4 grams. No significant changes were observed in high-density cholesterol (48.0 +/- 9.6 vs 48.8 +/- 11.0 mg/dl; P=0.106) or in triglycerides (119.2 +/- 50.9 vs 148.4 +/- 45.8 mg/dl; P = 0.139). Significant increases were obtained in DHEA (3.69 +/- 3.05 vs 11.09 +/- 6.3 ng/ml; P<0.008), low-density cholesterol (LDL) (87.4 +/- 23.5 vs 108.5 +/- 28.3 mg/dl; P<0.008 and total cholesterol (155.1 +/- 30.6 vs 186.6 +/- 33.1 mg/dl; P<0.008).

Excision of subcutaneous abdominal fat in studies 1 month later increased DHEA, whose role is controversial in visceral fat distribution, and increased LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, both risk markers for cardiovascular illness.