Is dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate a possible pathogenetic factor in osteopenia of patients with iron overload?

Bone metabolism studies were performed on 5 patients with transfusional haemosiderosis (2 male, 3 female; mean age: 30.8 years) and 5 patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis (2 male, 3 female; mean age: 48.8 years). In the majority of the patients, the modern osteodensitometric method showed a significant decrease of the mineral content of the trabecular and cortical bones. Low calcitonin and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate concentrations were measured in the majority of the patients with calcipenic osteopathy. Besides marked bone loss, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was found in 3 male patients, while normal LH, FSH concentration values were measured in 3 female patients. The prolactin concentration was normal in all 6 patients. The authors suppose that besides the already known pathogenetic factors, insufficient calcitonin effect and especially the partial lack of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate can play a role in the development of bone loss connected with iron overload. Further study with a greater number of patients is required to support the above findings.