Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2012) 29 P492

ICEECE2012 Poster Presentations Developmental endocrinology (18 abstracts)

Oestradiol and its biochemical precursor levels decline in men around the age of their late twenties, what may determine the conclusion of bone maturation

D. Szyska-Skrobot 1, , J. Slowikowska-Hilczer 1 , R. Walczak-Jedrzejowska 1 , P. Kula 1 , K. Marchlewska 1 , E. Oszukowska 1 , E. Filipiak 1 , R. Mezyk 2 , A. Kowalska 2 & K. Kula 1


1Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; 2Swietokrzyskie Center of Oncology, Kielce, Poland.


Introduction: Longitudinal bone growth ceases by the end of puberty, and the induction of epiphyseal maturation and closure is thought to be a result in both sexes of the action of increased pubertal oestrogen concentrations. However, bone mass accrual progresses beyond puberty and we related sex steroid hormones and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels to calcaneal quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) in young adult men.

Methods: Eighty men aged between 18 and 39 years were invited by letter to attend for an interviewer-administered questionnaire, body mass index (BMI) measurement, blood sample and QUI of the calcaneus (Hologic – SAHARA). Blood was assessed for testosterone, oestradiol (E2), DHEAS, SHBG, LH and FSH. The following bioactive fractions of testosterone and E2 were calculated: free (non-bound to SHBG and albumin) and bio-available (non-bound to SHBG).

Results: While total E2, total testosterone, DHEAS, LH and FSH levels were not related, a positive correlations with QUI (P<0.05) were found for the levels of free E2, β=6.30 (CI: 1.14, 11.47), bio-available E2, β=0.21 (CI: 0.02, 0.41), free testosterone, β=0.04 (CI: 0.005, 0.08) and bio-available testosterone, β=1.56 (CI: 0.84, 3.04). SHBG level was related negatively, β=−0.55 (CI:−1.00, −0.095). However, after dichotomisation for age, the associations remained significant only for younger subjects (18–28 years n=41). Older subjects (29–39 years, n=39) revealed in turn lower (P<0.01) serum concentrations of total E2 (−20.1%), free E2 (−25%), bio-available E2 (−25.7%), DHEAS (−17.7%) and bio-available testosterone (−12.8%) than the younger. QUI did not change.

Conclusions: In healthy men the levels of all fractions of E2 and their biochemical precursors DHEAS and bio-available testosterone decrease substantially around the age of late twenties. This may determine the conclusion of bone maturation.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Volume 29

15th International & 14th European Congress of Endocrinology

European Society of Endocrinology 

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