Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and bone resorption rates as reflected by serum levels of C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen: A study in healthy men

Sex steroid hormones contribute to the physiological regulation of bone turnover in males. To address this issue, we investigated serum estradiol (E-2), total testosterone (T), and DHEAS concentrations, along with serum levels of carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (sCTx), in a sample of 76 healthy men aged 23 to 87. The concentration of sCTx declined with age. Both T and DHEAS, at variance with E2, showed a significant age-related decline. T, DHEAS and sCTx significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with each other. DHEAS and T were significantly associated after correcting for age (r = 0.35, p = 0.002) or body mass index (r = 0.65, p < 0.0001). DHEAS, but not T, significantly correlated with sCTx after correcting for age (r = 0.26, p = 0.026, and r = 0.20, p = 0.08, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that only DHEAS (but not T or E2) was a significant independent predictor of sCTx (p = 0.0001). Our results show that adrenal androgens play a crucial role in regulating bone resorption in aging men. (c) 2005, Editrice Kurtis.