Rita Santos-Silva1,2,3, Manuel Fontoura4,5, João T Guimarães6,7,8, Henrique Barros6,9, Ana Cristina Santos6,9. 1. EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. ritasantossilva@gmail.com. 2. Unidade de Endocrinologia Pediátrica, Serviço de Pediatria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João, Porto, Portugal. ritasantossilva@gmail.com. 3. Departamento de Ginecologia-Obstetrícia e Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. ritasantossilva@gmail.com. 4. Unidade de Endocrinologia Pediátrica, Serviço de Pediatria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João, Porto, Portugal. 5. Departamento de Ginecologia-Obstetrícia e Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. 6. EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. 7. Serviço de Patologia Clínica, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João, Porto, Portugal. 8. Departamento de Biomedicina, Unidade de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. 9. Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Low birth size (BS) and obesity have been associated with higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in childhood, insulin acting as a mediator, despite contradictory findings. To further explore these issues, we studied the associations between DHEAS, BS, adiposity, maternal characteristics, and cardiometabolic risk indicators, in participants of Generation XXI, a population-based birth cohort. METHODS: A sample of 700 children (mean age 7.1 yr) was randomly selected. Data on maternal characteristics, BS, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio, body fat (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), insulin, lipid profile, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were analyzed in relation to DHEAS. RESULTS: DHEAS was negatively associated with BS and positively associated with all adiposity indicators, with no sex differences. DHEAS was positively associated with insulinemia independently of the child's BS or BMI. No significant association was found between DHEAS, maternal characteristics, lipid profile, or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Including insulin in the model did not affect the association between BS and DHEAS but reduced the magnitude of the BMI effect by 24% for boys and 30% for girls. CONCLUSION: Higher DHEAS levels at 7 years old were associated with lower BS and higher adiposity. DHEAS levels were positively associated with insulinemia independently of BS or BMI. IMPACT: Low birth weight and obesity have been associated with higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in prepuberty. Insulin has been suggested as a mediator, despite previous studies failing to show an association between DHEAS and insulin levels. In a randomly selected population of 700 7-year-old children from the Generation XXI birth cohort, higher DHEAS levels were associated with a lower birth size and higher adiposity, with no sex differences. DHEAS was positively related to insulinemia independently of the child's birth size or body mass index. No association was found between DHEAS and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
BACKGROUND: Low birth size (BS) and obesity have been associated with higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in childhood, insulin acting as a mediator, despite contradictory findings. To further explore these issues, we studied the associations between DHEAS, BS, adiposity, maternal characteristics, and cardiometabolic risk indicators, in participants of Generation XXI, a population-based birth cohort. METHODS: A sample of 700 children (mean age 7.1 yr) was randomly selected. Data on maternal characteristics, BS, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio, body fat (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), insulin, lipid profile, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were analyzed in relation to DHEAS. RESULTS: DHEAS was negatively associated with BS and positively associated with all adiposity indicators, with no sex differences. DHEAS was positively associated with insulinemia independently of the child's BS or BMI. No significant association was found between DHEAS, maternal characteristics, lipid profile, or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Including insulin in the model did not affect the association between BS and DHEAS but reduced the magnitude of the BMI effect by 24% for boys and 30% for girls. CONCLUSION: Higher DHEAS levels at 7 years old were associated with lower BS and higher adiposity. DHEAS levels were positively associated with insulinemia independently of BS or BMI. IMPACT: Low birth weight and obesity have been associated with higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in prepuberty. Insulin has been suggested as a mediator, despite previous studies failing to show an association between DHEAS and insulin levels. In a randomly selected population of 700 7-year-old children from the Generation XXI birth cohort, higher DHEAS levels were associated with a lower birth size and higher adiposity, with no sex differences. DHEAS was positively related to insulinemia independently of the child's birth size or body mass index. No association was found between DHEAS and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Authors: Pauliina Utriainen; Saila Laakso; Jani Liimatta; Jarmo Jääskeläinen; Raimo Voutilainen Journal: Horm Res Paediatr Date: 2015-02-07 Impact factor: 2.852
Authors: Ken K Ong; Neus Potau; Clive J Petry; Richard Jones; Andrew R Ness; John W Honour; Francis de Zegher; Lourdes Ibáñez; David B Dunger Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2004-06 Impact factor: 5.958