Measurement of urinary free 20 alpha-dihydrocortisol in biochemical diagnosis of chronic hypercorticoidism.

Abstract

Using liquid chromatography, we estimated the urinary excretion of 20 alpha-dihydrocortisol (20-DH) and urinary free cortisol (UFC) in normal subjects and in 40 patients with Cushing's syndrome of different etiologies. The median normal excretion rate (nmol/24 h) was 174 for 20-DH and 68 for UFC, the 20-DH/UFC ratio thus being 2.55. For patients with Cushing's syndrome, the excretion rate was 1798 for 20-DH and 298 for UFC, the ratio 6.03. We evaluated the effect of acute stimulation of adrenal secretion on 20-DH and UFC by administering corticotropin to six normal subjects. After such stimulation, the excretion rate was 566 for 20-DH and 1238 for UFC (ratio 0.45). Whereas 20-DH excretion rate exceeded the normal range in all patients, six patients had normal or even below-normal values for UFC excretion. Evidently, measurement of urinary 20-DH is a better test for chronic hypercorticoidism than is measurement of urinary UFC, and chronic hypercorticoidism can be differentiated from the acute state by the 20-DH/UFC ratio.

• Authors: M Schöneshöfer, B Weber, W Oelkers, K Nahoul, F Mantero
• Journal: Clinical chemistry (Clin Chem) Vol. 32 Issue 5 Pg. 808-10 (May 1986) ISSN: 0009-9147 [Print] England
• PMID: 3009052 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• 20-hydroxycortisol
• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
• Hydrocortisone

Topics

• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
• Cushing Syndrome (diagnosis, urine)
• Female
• Humans
• Hydrocortisone (analogs & derivatives, urine)
• Male