17a-Hydroxyprogesterone and Cortisol Serum Levels in Neonates and Young Children: Influence of Age, Gestational Age, Gender and Methodological Procedures

MARÍA GABRIELA BALLERINI; ANA CHIESA; PAULA SCAGLIA; LAURA GRUÑEIRO-PAPENDIECK; JUAN JORGE HEINRICH; MARÍA GABRIELA ROPELATO

JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM

FREUND PUBLISHING HOUSE LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2010 vol. 23 p. 121 - 132

2191-0251

To determine the influence of age, gestational age, gender and methodologicaal protocol on serum 17OHP and cortisol concentrations. 17OHP in non-extracted (NE) and extracted (E) sera was measured by RIA in 319 full-term (FT) (1d-5yr) infants, 38 pre-term (PT) and in 19 neonates with classical CAH at diagnosis. 17OHP (NE- and E-) decreased with age in normal children. The extraction procedure significantly reduced 17OHP by eliminating interfering steroids in children <1 year. Sexual dimorphism was only observed in NE-17OHP. 17OHP in PT was always higher than in FT up to 2 months of age (p<0.001). Neither NE- nor E-17OHP in CAH overlapped with those of FT or PT (p<0.001) allowing to omit the extraction procedure to confirm CAH diagnosis. Cortisol levels were within normal range in neonates with CAH, thus not adding useful information about adrenal function. Chronological and gestational age, gender and extraction for 17OHP measurment are important factors to know when assessing adrenal function during the first year of life.