Intraindividual stability of cortisol and cortisone and the ratio of cortisol to cortisone in saliva, urine and hair

Quan Zhang; Zheng Chen; Shenghuo Chen; Youyun Xu; Huihua Deng

doi:10.1016/j.steroids.2016.12.008

Intraindividual stability of cortisol and cortisone and the ratio of cortisol to cortisone in saliva, urine and hair

Steroids. 2017 Feb:118:61-67. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2016.12.008. Epub 2016 Dec 18.

Authors

Quan Zhang¹, Zheng Chen¹, Shenghuo Chen¹, Youyun Xu¹, Huihua Deng²

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, and Institute of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
² Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, and Institute of Child Development and Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: dengrcls@seu.edu.cn.

PMID: 27998757
DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2016.12.008

Abstract

Background: Cortisol, cortisone and the ratio of cortisol to cortisone in saliva, urine and hair are acute, short-term and long-term biomarkers to reliably assess the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD). One key issue is whether these biomarkers have intraindividual relative stability. Salivary, urinary and hair cortisol was proven to show considerable long-term intraindividual relative stability. However, currently unknown is whether cortisone and the ratio in saliva, urine and hair show intraindividual relative stability.

Methods: The present study utilized a longitudinal design to validate long-term stability within two weeks of three biomarkers in saliva and urine, and long-term stability within twelve months of three hair biomarkers. Salivary, urinary and hair steroids were measured with high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: Three biomarkers in urine and hair showed moderate test-retest correlations with coefficient (r) ranging between 0.22 and 0.56 and good multiple-test consistencies with coefficient of intraclass correlation (ICC) ranging between 0.42 and 0.67. Three single-point salivary biomarkers showed weak to moderate test-retest correlations (r's between 0.01 and 0.38) and poor to fair multiple-test consistencies (ICC's between 0.29 and 0.53) within two weeks. Three single-day salivary biomarkers showed moderate test-retest correlations (r's between 0.23 and 0.53) and good multiple-test consistencies (ICC's between 0.56 and 0.66) within two weeks.

Conclusions: Three biomarkers in urine and hair showed moderate long-term intraindividual relative stability. Three single-point salivary biomarkers showed weak to moderate short-term and long-term intraindividual relative stability, but three single-day salivary biomarkers showed moderate short-term and long-term intraindividual relative stability.

Keywords: 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; Cortisol; Cortisone; Intraindividual stability; Tandem mass spectrometry; The ratio of cortisol to cortisone.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Biomarkers / analysis*
Biomarkers / urine*
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Cortisone / analysis*
Cortisone / urine*
Female
Hair / chemistry*
Humans
Hydrocortisone / analysis*
Hydrocortisone / urine*
Male
Saliva / chemistry*
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Young Adult

Substances

Biomarkers
Cortisone
Hydrocortisone