Impact of dehydroepiandrosterone on metabolic, inflammatory markers in ukrainian civilians under wartime stress

Abstract Background A significant proportion of the Ukrainian population currently experiencing severe stress exhibits various stress-related disorders. Post-traumatic stress has been established as an important predictor of accelerated atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. Increased stress can lead to hormonal imbalances, including changes in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels, which may affect cardiometabolic status. Purpose To assess the impact of DHEA levels on several health markers in a group of Ukrainian civilians in the context of wartime stress factors. Methods The study included 116 patients from the frontline zone, aged 31–60 years, without clinical signs of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (mean age: 49.5 years; 61.2% women). Physical examination included measurements of height, body weight, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and body mass index (BMI). Body composition was determined using the bioelectrical impedance method, assessing body fat percentage (FAT, %), skeletal muscle percentage (MUS, %), and visceral fat level (VIS, %). All participants underwent clinical and biochemical blood tests. Additionally, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), oxidative status (8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)), C-reactive protein (CRP), carbohydrate, and lipid profiles were assessed. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the results. Results Regression analysis was conducted to assess the impact of DHEA-S levels on various physiological and biochemical parameters. The model demonstrated a significant overall relationship (R = 0.574, p 0.00001), indicating a moderate to strong association between DHEA and the analysed characteristics. The analysis revealed significant associations between DHEA levels and CRP (p = 0.026), 8-OHdG (p = 0.002), Vis (p = 0.001), BMI (p = 0.009), haematocrit (p = 0.0184), and other haematologic markers (leukocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes, p 0.05). Notably, DHEA levels were significantly associated with haematocrit, Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW). Positive associations with immune cells (leukocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes) suggest that DHEA may contribute to immune regulation and the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases. Conclusion Regression analysis revealed that DHEA significantly influences metabolic factors, reducing visceral fat, inflammation, and oxidative stress while affecting blood markers. DHEA may exert beneficial effects on inflammatory markers, immune cell populations, and erythropoiesis, while modulating oxidative stress and visceral fat accumulation. These findings underscore the multifaceted role of DHEA in immune function, metabolism, and inflammation.