Intended purpose
The function of this device is to aid in the diagnosis of several conditions by the determination of Cortisol and Cortisone levels in 24h human urine, performed by automated quantitative LC-MS assay technology. Deviant measurand values can be an indication of the following physiological or pathological states and/or conditions:
Cortisol:
Endogenous Cushing’s syndromeNon-autonomous hypercortisolismPsychiatric disordersMorbid obesityDiabetes mellitusAlcoholismApparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) syndromeCortisone:
Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) syndromeCongenital adrenal hyperplasiaAdrenal insufficiencySummary
Urinary free cortisol (UFC) analysis represents the first biochemical laboratory approach for th screening of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome (CS). Endogenous CS is caused by prolonge exposure to elevated levels of endogenous cortisol that may occur from excess production by one or both adrenal glands, or from overproduction of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which normally regulates cortisol production.
As symptoms are always non-specific, including hypertension, truncal obesity and mood disorders, specific biochemical tests are required for diagnosing CS.
One of the first-line tests for diagnosis, the measurement of 24-h UFC, can also be useful in other clinical conditions characterized by a high urine cortisol level, such as in non-autonomous hypercortisolism (pseudo-CS), psychiatric disorders, morbid obesity, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and alcoholism. Altered cortisol metabolism is also responsible for a condition called apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) syndrome. Type 2 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) regulates the cortisol level by oxidizing it to its inactive form, cortisone.
While cortisol is mainly essentially secreted by the adrenal gland, cortisone is mainly produced by 11β-HSD type 2 in multiple human tissues, which interconverts bioactive cortisol to hormonally inactive cortisone to prevent activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor by cortisol. Hence the simultaneous determination of cortisol and cortisone can help in the diagnosis of AME syndrome, but also in congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal insufficiency.
Manufactured by Diagnotix; Distributed by Tecan, IBL International GmbH.
For concrete data please consult the Instruction for Use in the download box on the top right side.