Measuring steroids in hair opens up possibilities to identify congenital adrenal hyperplasia in developing countries
Authors' conclusion
CAH could be confirmed in Indonesian patients based on the concentration of 17OHP, androstenedione, and testosterone in hair, and a treatment effect was observed. These findings open up opportunities to diagnose and/or monitor CAH in developing countries with a simple noninvasive technique.
Study context
- Population
- Indonesian patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in a developing country with limited laboratory access; healthy volunteers for reference range
- Participants
- 22 vs 84
- Comparison
- Untreated CAH patients vs healthy volunteers; CAH patients before vs after glucocorticoid treatment
- CAHn = 22
- Healthy volunteersn = 84reference
- Outcome
- Hair concentrations of cortisol, 17OHP, androstenedione and testosterone measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, as a diagnostic tool to identify and monitor CAH
Methodological detailsmethod development, stability assessment, Hair samples transported at ambient temperature to The Netherlands for analysis
- Method development
- Stability assessment
- Hair samples transported at ambient temperature to The Netherlands for analysis
Performance
As reported in the abstract
Hair steroid concentrations in untreated CAH patients vs upper limit of healthy volunteer range · before treatment
| Test or model | 17OHP range | Androstenedione range | Testosterone range | 17OHP upper limit | Androstenedione upper limit | Testosterone upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAH | 9.43-1135 pmol/g | 36.1-432 pmol/g | 2.85-69.2 pmol/g | |||
| Healthy volunteers | 5.5 pmol/g | 13 pmol/g | 1.8 pmol/g |
17OHP range
CAH9.43-1135 pmol/g
Healthy volunteers— not stated in the abstract
Androstenedione range
CAH36.1-432 pmol/g
Healthy volunteers— not stated in the abstract
Testosterone range
CAH2.85-69.2 pmol/g
Healthy volunteers— not stated in the abstract
17OHP upper limit
CAH— not stated in the abstract
Healthy volunteers5.5 pmol/g
Androstenedione upper limit
CAH— not stated in the abstract
Healthy volunteers13 pmol/g
Testosterone upper limit
CAH— not stated in the abstract
Healthy volunteers1.8 pmol/g
Further findings
Steroid stability in hair · at least 3 weeks at 4°C and 30°C
- Steroids remained stable (deviation)
- <4.9%
Decrease in hair steroid concentrations after starting glucocorticoid treatment in CAH patients · 6 months
- Androstenedione decrease (significant)
- 73%
- Testosterone decrease (significant)
- 59%
Original publication
Measuring steroids in hair opens up possibilities to identify congenital adrenal hyperplasia in developing countries. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 15 May 2022. doi:10.
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