Effect of DHEA on Skin Aging in Postmenopausal Women

Laval University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3

Conditions: Quality of Life; Skin Aging

Treatments: Drug: Placebos; Drug: Dehydroepiandrosterone

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00248989

ERC-204

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the study is to determine the response of skin parameters related to skin aging to the local action of DHEA in postmenopausal women.

Full description

Humans, along with the others primates, are unique among animal species in having adrenals that secrete large amounts of the inactive precursor steroids dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA)and especially its sulfate DHEA-S. The marked reduction in the formation of DHEA-S by the adrenals during aging results in a dramatic fall in the formation of androgens and estrogens in peripheral target tissues, a situation that has been proposed to be associated with age-related diseases including skin atrophy, insulin resistance and obesity. Moreover, much attention has been given to the benefits of DHEA administered to postmenopausal women, especially on the bone, skin, vagina and well being after oral as well as percutaneous administration of the precursor steroid.

Therefore this study proposes to study the effect of 0.3% DHEA cream during a period of 12 months administered twice daily to postmenopausal women. During the study several biological and clinical parameters will be evaluated. In summary, these include blood steroid levels, distribution of hormonal receptors in the skin, sebaceous gland activity, skin hydration, skin wrinkles and finally skin genomic evaluation.

Subjects will be evaluated at specific time intervals for the above mentioned parameters as well as tolerability and adverse reactions.

Enrollment: 150 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 60 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy postmenopausal women who have taken hormonal replacement therapy for at least two years but not during the last 6 months prior to the study.
• Aged between 60 and 65.

Exclusion criteria

• Significant dermatologic, metabolic and endocrine disease.
• Diagnosis of cancer or history of hormone-dependant cancer.
• Over exposure to sun or tanning session during the previous two months.
• Narcotic addiction, alcoholism or smoking.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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150 participants in 2 patient groups

Placebo

Experimental group

Treatment:

Drug: Placebos

DHEA

Experimental group

Treatment:

Drug: Dehydroepiandrosterone