Predicting serum hormone concentration by estimation of urinary hormones through a home-use device

Can a home-use device be used to predict serum hormone levels?

A home-use device can predict urinary hormone values which are well-correlated to serum concentrations of respective hormones and hence can be used as a proxy for serum measurements.

Home-use devices that predict ovulation are calibrated against the actual day of ovulation. However, the correlation of any quantitative system to serum hormone concentrations has not been established.

A total of 73 data points obtained from 20 participants across different phases of the menstrual cycle, i.e. bleeding days, follicular phase and luteal phase were used to establish the correlation between serum hormones and urinary metabolite values. Single data points from 20 random users were used to assess the correlation established.

Participants were women in the fertile age groups and only current users of the home-use device. Selection was done based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Blood hormones were tested using chemiluminescent immunoassays and urinary measurements were taken on the home-use device at home.

Serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) and LH were correlated with urinary estrone-3-glucuronide (E3G), pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) and LH with an R ² of 0.96, 0.95 and 0.98, respectively. Repredicted serum concentration obtained by using the correlation equation had a correlation of 0.92, 0.94 and 0.93 in unknown samples.

The study was designed to include women who have normal cycle lengths regularly; therefore, the values obtained were in the normal range. Certain infertility conditions may cause the values to be higher and correlation in such cases needs to be established.

The results of this study imply a new tool that can be used by fertility specialists as a proxy for blood tests whenever required. Extended study on this system can enable its use in assisted reproductive techniques as well.

No funding was received for this study. S.P. and D.D. are employees of the research and development division of Samplytics Technologies Pvt. Ltd. which is a forwarder for Inito Inc., USA. A.R. and V.A.V. are co-founders of Inito Inc., USA.

The trial was registered at the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry (Identifier: ISRCTN15534557).