title: Stability of urinary female reproductive hormones stored under various conditions.
abstract: Urinary reproductive hormones afford specific and sensitive evaluation of female reproductive potential in epidemiologic and clinical settings. The goal of this study was to characterize the stability of urinary luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estrone 3-glucuronide, pregnanediol 3-glucuronide, and creatinine during storage as functions of time, temperature, and additives. After 2 weeks with no additives, activity of the four analytes, relative to initial concentrations, ranged from 91.9 to 102.8% at 4 degrees C, 35.1 to 89.6% at 25 degrees C, and 7.5 to 66.9% at 37 degrees C. Antimicrobial additives did not consistently improve stability. Analyte activity for samples stored with no additives for 24 weeks at -80 degrees C ranged from 69.0 to 101.2%. Glycerol and bovine serum albumin improved analyte stability; activity ranged from 91.1 to 106.3%. Other additives were ineffective. These results reveal conditions for storing reproductive hormone analytes in urine during epidemiologic field studies.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Toxicology Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kesner
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Krieg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004355:Drug Stability; D004970:Estrone / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000652:urine; D005990:Glycerol / Q000494:pharmacology; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D011276:Pregnanediol / Q000652:urine; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D012034:Refrigeration; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D004970:Estrone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011276:Pregnanediol; D005990:Glycerol