DEHYDRO EPIANDROSTERONE SULPHATE (DHEAS)

Males:

• 80 -560 mcg/dl

Females:

• Pre menopausal : 35 – 430 mcg/dl
• Post menopausal : 10 -190 mcg/dl

• Dehydro epiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid produced by the adrenal glands and is the most abundant one found in humans. The circulating DHEAS originates almost entirely from the adrenals, though in men some may derive from testes, partly accounting for the sex difference, which emerges at about age 15. The ovaries even under pathological conditions do not produce this hormone.
• DHEA may be transformed into testosterone, estrogen or other steroids. It is found in the body as DHEA or in the sulfated form known as DHEA-S. DHEA-sulfate is a weak androgen (male hormone) that is produced by the adrenal cortex in both men and women. The adrenal gland is one of the major sources of androgens in women (the other being the ovaries which produce testosterone)
• Measurement of Dehydro epiandrosterone sulphate, an adrenal steroid is important to investigations of abnormal hair growth (hirsutism) , virilism and balding (alopecia) in women.
• It is also of value in the assessment of adrenarche and delayed puberty. This test is used to evaluate the function of the adrenal glands. It is also measured in children with precocious puberty and as a diagnostic tool for work up of a case of female infertility.

• To evaluate adrenal gland function
• When a girl or woman has symptoms related to developing masculine physical characteristics ( deeper voice, hirsutism, male pattern baldness, Muscularity, Enlargement of adams apple, Acne)
• Ambiguous genitalia in girls
• s/s such as amenorrhoea and Infertility

• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Adrenal carcinoma
• Virilizing tumors of the adrenals
• In Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, DHEA-S is usually normal for chronological age and high for bone age
• Polycystic ovary syndrome

• Hyperthyroidism
• Autoimmune disorders, such as Graves disease
• Autoimmune Tendency
• SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Chronic Fatigue syndrome
• Addison disease
• Weakened Immune System