Cross reactions elicited by serum 17-OH progesterone and 11-desoxycortisol in cortisol assays

Julie Brossaud, Pascal Barat, Dominique Gualde, Jean-Benoît Corcuff
Clinica Chimica Acta. 2009-09-01; 407(1-2): 72-74
DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2009.05.019

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1. Clin Chim Acta. 2009 Sep;407(1-2):72-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2009.05.019. Epub 2009
May 28.

Cross reactions elicited by serum 17-OH progesterone and 11-desoxycortisol in
cortisol assays.

Brossaud J(1), Barat P, Gualde D, Corcuff JB.

Author information:
(1)Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and University of
Bordeaux, France.

BACKGROUND: Different pathophysiological situations such as congenital adrenal
hyperplasia, adrenocortical carcinoma, metyrapone treatment, etc. elicit
specificity problems with serum cortisol assay.
METHODS: We assayed cortisol using 2 kits and performed cross reaction studies as
well as multiple regression analysis using 2 other steroids: 11-desoxycortisol
and 17-OH progesterone.
RESULTS: Analysis showed the existence of an analytical bias. Importantly,
significantly different biases were demonstrated in newborns or patients taking
metyrapone. Multiple regression analysis and cross reaction studies showed that
11-desoxycortisol level significantly influenced cortisol determination.
Moreover, despite using the normal ranges provided by manufacturers discrepant
results occurred such as 17% discordance in the diagnosis of hypocorticism in
infants.
CONCLUSION: We wish to raise awareness about the consequences of the (lack of)
specificity of cortisol assays with regard to the evaluation of hypocorticism in
infants or when « unusual » steroids may be increased.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2009.05.019
PMID: 19481537 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus