Salivary steroid assays - research or routine?

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Clinical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Salivary steroid concentrations correlate with serum free steroids, influenced by salivary gland metabolism.
• Salivary samples exhibit stability under various storage conditions, facilitating analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of salivary steroid measurements for endocrine disorders.
• To assess the reliability of salivary steroid assays for monitoring therapeutic interventions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of salivary steroid concentrations.
• Comparison of salivary results with clinical criteria and other diagnostic methods.
• Assessment of sample stability under different storage conditions.

Main Results:

• Salivary cortisol effectively screens for Cushing's syndrome and aids in diagnosing adrenal insufficiency.
• Salivary 17-hydroxyprogesterone and androstenedione are valuable for monitoring congenital adrenal hyperplasia treatment.
• Salivary assays for estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and aldosterone lack diagnostic reliability due to fluctuations.

Conclusions:

• Salivary cortisol and specific steroid assays offer valuable diagnostic and monitoring applications.
• The utility of salivary steroid testing is hormone-dependent, with some assays not yet justified for routine clinical use.
• Further research is needed for less stable salivary steroids to establish their diagnostic value.