Correlation of blood-spot 17-hydroxyprogesterone daily profiles and urinary steroid profiles in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Objective: To compare the value of blood-spot 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH P) daily profiles and urinary steroid excretion in untreated and treated pa tients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), Patients: Ten patients with CAH were investigated during steroid replacemen t therapy (Group 1), and 11 patients were investigated without treatment (G roup 2), Methods: Capillary blood samples were collected for measurement of blood-sp ot 17-OHP values by non-chromatographic radioimmunoassay, Steroid profiles of 24-h urine samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. Results: There was a close correlation between the individual daily means o f blood-spot 17-OHP measurements and the pregnanetriol/tetrahydrocortisone ratio in both groups of patients (Group 2: r = 0,839, p < 0,001; Group 1: r = 0,686, p < 0,001), Almost the same correlation was found between the blo od-spot 17-OHP value and the sum of three 17-hydroxyprogesterone metabolite s/the sum of three cortisol/cortisone metabolites ratio (Group 2: r = 0,918 , p < 0,001; Group 1: r = 0,741, p < 0,001), Conclusions: Blood-spot 17-OHP measurements and 24-h urinary steroid profil e have the same impact in identification and monitoring therapy of children with CAH.