Turcu AF, Mallappa A, Elman MS, Avila NA, Marko J, Rao H, Tsodikov A, Auchus RJ, Merke DP. 11-Oxygenated Androgens Are Biomarkers of Adrenal Volume and Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors in 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2017;
102:2701-2710. [PMID:
28472487 PMCID:
PMC5546849 DOI:
10.1210/jc.2016-3989]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT
Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) have long-term complications, resulting from poor disease control and/or glucocorticoid overtreatment. Lack of optimal biomarkers has made it challenging to tailor therapy and predict long-term outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To identify biomarkers of disease control and long-term complications in 21OHD.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Cross-sectional study of 114 patients (70 males), ages 2 to 67 years (median, 15 years), seen in a tertiary referral center.
METHODS
We correlated a mass-spectrometry panel of 23 steroids, obtained before first morning medication, with bone age advancement (children), adrenal volume (adults), testicular adrenal rest tumors (TART), hirsutism, menstrual disorders, and pituitary hormones.
RESULTS
Total adrenal volume correlated positively with 18 steroids, most prominently 21-deoxycortisol and four 11-oxygenated-C19 (11oxC19) steroids: 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4), 11-ketoandrostenedione (11ketoA4), 11β-hydroxytestosterone (11OHT), and 11-ketotestosterone (11ketoT) (r ≈ 0.7, P < 0.0001). Nine steroids were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) in males with TART compared with those without TART, including 11OHA4 (6.8-fold), 11OHT (4.9-fold), 11ketoT (3.6-fold), 11ketoA4 (3.3-fold), and pregnenolone sulfate (PregS; 4.8-fold). PregS (28.5-fold) and 17-hydroxypregnenolone sulfate (19-fold) levels were higher (P < 0.01) in postpubertal females with menstrual disorders. In males, testosterone levels correlated positively with all 11oxC19 steroids in Tanner stages 1 and 2 (r ≈ 0.7; P < 0.001) but negatively in Tanner stage 5 (r = -0.3 and P < 0.05 for 11ketoA4 and 11ketoT). In females, testosterone level correlated positively with all four 11oxC19 steroids across all Tanner stages (r ≈ 0.8; P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
11oxC19 steroids and PregS might serve as clinically useful biomarkers of disease control and long-term complications in 21OHD.
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