[Application of capillary gas chromatography to androgen excretion - analysis as diagnostic tool in paediatric endocrinology (author's transl)]

A gas-chromatographic method on glass capillary columns was developed mainly for the separation of androgens in order to diagnose endocrinopathies, especially various forms of intersexual anomalies. For this purpose the gas-chromatographic conditions were chosen in such a way as to gain a long distance (retention time interval) between the alkanes n-C24H50 and n-C28H58, because these two alkanes limit the area in which most of the androgens appear. Column: 50 m X 0.25 mm (ID), WCOT, OV 101. (Formula: see text). The steroids were analysed in 24-hour urine samples. Extraction was performed with ethyl acetate, followed by persililation to methoxim-trimethylsilyl derivatives. The application of the procedure was demonstrated in two clinical cases, whereby Hamilton's theory, according to which certain androgens as well as their metabolites reflect the psychological and physical status of a person, was evaluated. On the basis of the present results it can be stated that gas chromatography on capillary columns, as described in this paper, is a useful diagnostic tool. With this method it is easy to detect disorders in the synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones.