Meaning of DHEA SO4 . test

DHEA SO4 is a type of male hormone (androgen) produced in the adrenal glands and converted into testosterone by the body, which affects sexual development. The DHEA SO4 test will help check the level of testosterone in the blood, to evaluate the hyperactivity of the adrenal cortex and delayed puberty in boys and girls.

DHEA SO4 hormone is a male sex hormone (androgen), this hormone is produced mainly in the adrenal gland, so it is considered an adrenocortical hormone and a small amount is produced by the male sex organs - testicles and testicles. of the female - producing ovaries. This is considered one of the most common circulating hormones in the human body. DHEA SO4 is converted to the active sex hormones testosterone and estradiol.
Normally, the concentration of DHEA SO4 in the blood increases steadily from about 7 years of age and decreases gradually after the age of 30. DHEA SO4 plays a role in the development of male sexual characteristics in adulthood such as influence to pubic hair growth, armpit hair, body odor.... In women, it plays an important role in research on abnormal hair growth and baldness. Simultaneously, DHEA SO4 is also valuable in the assessment of adrenal hyperactivity and delayed puberty.
DHEA SO4 has a half-life of 7 - 9 hours and is stable throughout the day, so DHEA SO4 is useful in assessing adrenal function. If there is an excess of DHEA SO4 on the test, it may be due to a tumor in the adrenal gland. Consequences of an excess of the hormone DHEA SO4 can lead to early puberty in boys and amenorrhea or virilization in women (hirsutism, genital ambiguity).

The purpose of performing the DHEA SO4 test is to:
Diagnose if the doctor suspects that a patient has excess or deficient androgen production or in case he wants to evaluate a person's adrenal gland function. This test also helps to identify medical conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia, adrenal cancer or diagnose adrenocortical tumor. As a male sex hormone, this hormone is used to distinguish whether DHEA SO4 secretion is produced by the adrenal glands or by the testes. For women: The DHEA SO4 test will help determine the cause of infertility, diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome, hirsutism (hair growth on the face), missed periods or some signs of too much hormones. male in female (eg, deep voice, virilization). However, in addition to this test, to diagnose the disease in women, it is necessary to combine with other endocrine tests such as Prolactin, Estrogen, FSH, LH. For boys: The DHEA SO4 test is also indicated when precocious puberty symptoms such as a deeper voice, pubic hair, muscles, and penis are growing faster than before puberty started.

The DHEA SO4 test analyzes the specimen as venous blood. Therefore, the patient should fast for 8-12 hours before taking blood. In addition, if you are taking any medication, it is necessary to inform the clinician. The procedure for taking venous blood for DHEA SO4 test is carried out as follows:
Step 1: Choose an appropriate blood collection site, then the nurse ties the garo on the blood collection site from 3 to 5 cm and disinfects the site. vein with medical alcohol and then wait to dry. Step 2: Use a needle to inject through the skin into a vein and then take a blood volume with enough volume to do the DHEA SO4 test. Step 3: Remove the garo, then quickly pull out the needle and cover the puncture site with cotton for the purpose of stopping bleeding for the patient. Finally, immediately inject the collected blood into the tube containing the blood without anticoagulant or the tube with anticoagulant, shaking gently. The blood sample will then be transferred to the laboratory and analyzed on a specialized biochemical testing machine system. However, it should be noted that it may not be possible to have the test or the results are not helpful if the person has had a radiation scan within 1 week of the test, takes a DHEA supplement, does intense exercise. , because then the concentration of DHEA SO4 may be increased.
After a vein is drawn for testing, there is very little chance of a problem or if it is, just a small bruise at the site of the blood draw. In some cases, veins become swollen after blood is drawn (called phlebitis), however, these are not cause for concern.

Very rarely DHEA SO4 levels are normal when the patient has a tumor or cancer of the adrenal gland . If, after testing, the DHEA SO4 concentration is normal (between 2.5 - 7.5 μmol/l) then that indicates normal adrenal function. DHEA SO4 test levels may be high in neonates, and this value decreases after birth, gradually increasing again at puberty. A high or low DHEA SO4 concentration test value may suggest:
High plasma DHEA SO4 levels may suggest overproduction of DHEA SO4. However, elevated levels of DHEA SO4 are usually not diagnostic of a specific condition but rather indicate the need for further testing to determine the cause of the hormone imbalance. An elevated DHEA SO4 value may be a marker of an adrenal tumor, Cushing's disease, adrenal cancer, or adrenal hyperplasia. DHEA SO4 can also be elevated in polycystic ovary syndrome but it can also be normal, this disorder is often related to the ovaries' production of androgens (primarily testosterone). Low levels of DHEA SO4 may be due to adrenal insufficiency, adrenal dysfunction, Addison's disease, or pituitary insufficiency.

In some cases, people taking DHEA supplements will have increased blood levels of DHEA SO4. People taking certain medications (such as diabetes medications, prolactin, danazol, calcium channel blockers, and nicotine) can also cause DHEA SO4 levels to rise significantly. The use of drugs and hormones such as (insulin, oral contraceptives, dopamine, corticosteroids, liver enzyme inducers, fish oil and vitamin E) can reduce DHEA SO4 levels.
Before conducting the DHEA SO4 test, patients should note a few things:
There are certain hormones that will increase in the morning, decrease throughout the day, secretion continuously or increase at the most times. fixed of the month. However, the concentration of DHEA SO4 is stable, so blood samples to measure DHEA SO4 concentration can be obtained at any time of the day without fear of affecting the results of the test. Excess of DHEA SO4 concentration in an adult man can be difficult to determine if DHEA SO4 level is high (with secondary male sex characteristics) and women of certain ethnicities may have high levels of DHEA SO4. Testosterone levels and DHEA SO4 levels increase without showing symptoms such as excessive hair growth or acne. Blood tests for DHEA SO4 levels are usually only done when a person has suspected symptoms of overproduction or deficiency of DHEA SO4. In short, to get accurate results, patients need to go to a reputable hospital to conduct an examination and perform a DHEA SO4 test. Currently, the Laboratory - Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the leading prestigious addresses in the country, trusted by a large number of patients for medical examination and treatment. Thanks to the use of modern machines and equipment to examine and analyze patient samples, it has provided accurate information, helping doctors to assess the overall health of the person being tested. Early detection of disease and timely treatment plan. In particular, with a space designed according to 5-star hotel standards, Vinmec guarantees to bring patients the most comfort, friendliness and peace of mind when visiting and receiving treatment at the hospital.