Elevated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)/ dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels indicate increased adrenal androgen production. Mild elevations in adults are usually idiopathic, but levels >5-fold or more of the upper limit of normal can suggest the presence of an androgen-secreting adrenal tumor. DHEA/DHEAS levels are elevated in >90% of patients with such tumors. This is particularly true for androgen-secreting adrenal carcinomas, as they have typically lost the ability to produce downstream androgens, such as testosterone. By contrast, androgen-secreting adrenal adenomas may also produce excess testosterone and secrete lesser amounts of DHEA/DHEAS.
Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) may show very high levels of DHEA/DHEAS, often 5-fold to 10-fold elevations. However, with the possible exception of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency, other steroid analytes offer better diagnostic accuracy than DHEA/DHEAS measurements. Consequently, DHEA/DHEAS testing should not be used as the primary tool for CAH diagnosis. Similarly, discovering a high DHEA/DHEAS level in an infant or child with symptoms or signs of possible CAH should prompt additional testing, as should the discovery of very high DHEA/DHEAS levels in an adult. In the latter case, adrenal tumors need to be excluded and additional adrenal steroid profile testing may assist in diagnosing nonclassical CAH.