Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in a normal pediatric population
Related Experiment Videos
Insights
Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) levels in children and adolescents show significant age-dependent changes. DHAS levels rise in later childhood and adolescence, approaching adult values, with notable variations between sexes and during puberty.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Adolescent Medicine
Background:
- Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) is a key adrenal steroid hormone.
- Understanding DHAS dynamics is crucial for assessing adrenal and gonadal function during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the age-related patterns of serum DHAS concentrations in children and adolescents.
- To compare DHAS levels across different age groups, sexes, and pubertal stages.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples were collected from 274 children and adolescents (1 month to 18.7 years) and 38 healthy adults.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) levels were quantified using a specified assay.
- Data were analyzed to identify age, sex, and pubertal stage-related variations.
Main Results:
- Serum DHAS exhibited marked age-dependency, declining in early infancy and increasing significantly from 8 years onwards.
- Pre-pubertal children showed low DHAS levels (<0.5 mumol/L in boys, <1.0 mumol/L in girls).
- Adolescent DHAS levels approached adult values, with some overlap observed between pubertal stages.
Conclusions:
- Serum DHAS levels undergo substantial changes throughout childhood and adolescence, reflecting pubertal maturation.
- The observed patterns highlight the complex interplay between adrenal and gonadal development during puberty.
- These findings provide reference ranges for DHAS in pediatric and adolescent populations.
Abstract:
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) was measured in serum from 274 children and adolescents aged 1 month to 18.7 years, and in 38 healthy adults. In the pediatric group, which comprised 131 males and 143 females, serum DHAS was markedly age-dependent. Values declined between 1 and 5 months after birth, but were generally less than 4 mumol/L. Between 6 months and 7 years DHAS was less than 0.5 mumol/L in boys and less than 1.0 mumol/L in girls. Above 8 years DHAS progressively increased in both sexes to less than 13 mumol/L in mid-late teenage males and less than 12 mumol/L in females of the same age, similar to the values observed in the adults. In children and adolescents over 10 years, there was considerable overlap in DHAS values between groups of children classified by pubertal stage, resulting from the dissociation between adrenal and gonadal development during normal puberty.