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Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-S) and Psychiatric and Laboratory Measures of Frailty in a Residential Care Population

Received September 3, 1997; revised February 10, 1998; accepted April 3, 1998. From The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. Address correspondence to Dr. Morrison, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3400 Spruce St., Eleven Gates Bldg., Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283; e-mail: mmorriso{at}mail.med.upenn.edu

Previous reports have found low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) in association with frailty in elderly patients. The mechanisms underlying these associations are not known. Therefore, psychiatric symptoms and disorders that are common in frail elderly patients were correlated with DHEA-S levels in a convenience sample selected from a nursing home population. Low DHEA-S levels were associated with high degrees of self-rated disability and insomnia. In women, low DHEA-S levels were also associated with increased numbers of pain sites. However, cognitive impairment was associated with higher DHEA-S levels in women. Thus, in frail elderly patients, there are contradictory relationships between DHEA-S and neuropsychiatric measures of frailty (cognitive impairment, disability, insomnia, and number of pain sites), and there may also be gender differences in these relationships.

Key Words: supplements • dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) • depression • debility • insomnia

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