DHEA Sulfate, LC/MS-MS (Endocrine Sciences)

The DHEA Sulfate, LC/MS-MS (Endocrine Sciences) test—also known as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate or DHEA‑S—assesses adrenal androgen output and helps distinguish an adrenal from an ovarian or testicular origin of androgen excess. It is used in the evaluation of hirsutism and virilization, including polycystic ovary syndrome, and in adrenocortical disorders such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumors/carcinoma. The assay supports the workup of infertility and amenorrhea and aids in assessing disorders of sex development. DHEA‑S levels are generally low in Addison disease and are characteristically not elevated with hypopituitarism.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA‑S) is an androgen found in both males and females that serves as a precursor convertible to more potent androgens (testosterone, androstenedione) as well as to estrogens. Its synthesis is regulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and other pituitary signals, making it a useful indicator of adrenal function. Adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumors/carcinoma may raise DHEA‑S concentrations. Elevated levels can be clinically silent in men, whereas in women they are associated with amenorrhea and virilization. In pediatric populations, excessive production contributes to precocious puberty in boys and to virilization, hirsutism, and menstrual irregularity in girls.