Context: The age-related decline in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels is thought to be of importance for general and vascular aging. However, data on the association between DHEA and mortality are conflicting.
Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that low serum DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) levels predict all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death in elderly men.
Design, setting, and participants: We used gas/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze baseline levels of DHEA and DHEA-S in the prospective population-based MrOS Sweden study (2644 men, aged 69-81 yr). Mortality data were obtained from central registers and analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regressions.
Main outcome measures: All-cause and CVD mortality by serum DHEA(-S) levels.
Results: During a mean 4.5-yr follow-up, 328 deaths occurred. Low levels of DHEA-S (quartile 1 vs. quartiles 2-4), predicted death from all causes [hazard ratio (HR) 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-1.96; adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors], from CVD (n = 123 deaths; HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.10-2.37) and ischemic heart disease (n = 73; HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.02-2.74) but not cancer. Analyses with DHEA gave similar results. The association between low DHEA-S and CVD death remained after adjustment for C-reactive protein and circulating estradiol and testosterone levels. When stratified by the median age of 75.4 yr, the mortality prediction by low DHEA-S was more pronounced among younger (age adjusted HR for CVD death 2.64, 95% CI 1.37-5.09) than older men (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.83-2.04).
Conclusions: Low serum levels of DHEA(-S) predict death from all causes, CVD, and ischemic heart disease in older men.