DEPRESSION OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE IN JAPANESE DIABETIC MEN - COMPARISON BETWEEN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS AND IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE

Hyperglycemia is known to reduce dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) circula ting levels; however, the mechanism by which hyperglycemia decreases D HEA is not elucidated. In this study, serum DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHE A-S) levels were compared in 50 men with non-insulin-dependent diabete s mellitus (NIDDM) and 50 age-matched men with impaired glucose tolera nce (IGT) receiving only diet therapy. Serum concentrations of DHEA an d DHEA-S in the NIDDM group were significantly lower than in the IGT g roup (7.8 and 9.7 nmol/l vs 3.4 and 4.9 mu mol/l, respectively; p < 0. 01) but there was no significant difference in immunoreactive insulin between the two groups. When the results from both groups were combine d, HbA(1C) was significantly inversely related to DHEA (r = -0.243, p< 0.01) and DHEA-S (r = -0.305, p<0.01). Immunoreactive insulin showed n o correlation with DHEA and DHEA-S. Multiple regression analysis showe d that HbA(1C) was independently negatively related to both DHEA and D HEA-S. We conclude that hyperglycemia may decrease serum DHEA and DHEA -S in Japanese men with NIDDM, but the depression of DHEA(-S) is indep endent of serum insulin level.