Central adrenal insufficiency could not be confirmed by measurement of basal serum DHEAS levels in pubertal children.
Horm Res Paediatr
; 82(5): 332-7, 2014.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25359306
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Central adrenal insufficiency (CAI) is due to a decrease of CRH and/or ACTH secretion. ACTH-dependent dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) has been postulated as a possible marker of adrenal function in adult patients.AIMS:
To evaluate the usefulness of basal serum DHEAS determination to diagnose CAI in pubertal patients with a suspected diagnosis of CAI.METHODS:
Ninety-four pubertal patients suspected of having CAI were divided into two groups according to sufficient (group 1) or insufficient (group 2) low-dose ACTH test serum cortisol response. Concordance with low (<2.5th percentile) or normal (≥2.5th percentile) basal serum DHEAS levels for age and sex, respectively, was analysed.RESULTS:
Fifty patients (53.2%) in group 1 and 44 (46.8%) in group 2 were included. The median value of serum DHEAS levels in group 2 (0.7 µmol/l, interquartile range 0.44-1.49) was significantly lower than in group 1 (2.13 µmol/l, interquartile range 0.87-3.5; p < 0.03). Nevertheless, serum basal DHEAS levels as a diagnostic marker of CAI showed 39% sensitivity and 80% specificity.CONCLUSION:
In pubertal patients, basal serum DHEAS levels do not seem to be a useful tool to diagnose either sufficiency or insufficiency of secondary adrenal function.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Puberty
/
Dehydroepiandrosterone
/
Adrenal Insufficiency
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Horm Res Paediatr
Journal subject:
ENDOCRINOLOGIA
/
PEDIATRIA
Year:
2014
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Argentina