Serum steroid metabolome dynamics in infancy: a longitudinal cohort study of healthy infants
Authors' conclusion
These findings offer a comprehensive characterization of the serum steroid metabolome in healthy infants throughout the first year of life. The resulting age-specific reference curves may serve as valuable tools to support the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of rare disorders of steroidogenesis.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy, term, singleton newborns followed during the first year of life (Copenhagen Minipuberty Study, 2016–2018)446 longitudinal samples
- Participants
- 88 vs 101
- Exposure
- Girls vs boys
- Girlsn = 88
- Boysn = 101
- Outcome
- Temporal dynamics of serum steroid metabolome (16 steroid hormones by LC-MS/MS) and sex- and age-specific reference curves
- Follow-up
- First year of life
Methodological detailsrepeated assessments during first year of life
- Repeated assessments during first year of life
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Serum steroid metabolome during infancy
- Increasing concentrations of cortisol and 11-deoxycorticosterone; decreasing levels eg, progesterone, 11-deoxycortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and androstenedione
- These trends were largely independent of sex
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Estimated activities of key steroidogenic enzymes, boys vs girls | P < 0.001 |
- Estimated activities of key steroidogenic enzymes, boys vs girls: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity significantly higher in boys
Estimated activities of key steroidogenic enzymes, boys vs girls
- Estimated activities of key steroidogenic enzymes did not differ significantly between sexes, except for sex steroid-related conversion
Original publication
Serum steroid metabolome dynamics in infancy: a longitudinal cohort study of healthy infants. Eur J Endocrinol. Published 17 September 2025. doi:10.
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