[Salivary cortisol among subjects with and without Cushing syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Salivary cortisol measurement is recommended as a screening mea-sure when a Cushing Syndrome is suspected. The proposed cut-off point for a probably diagnosis is 0.16 ug/dL.


OBJECTIVE
To determine salivary cortisol concentrations during the day inpatients with and without Cushing syndrome and with depression.


METHODS
Salivary cortisol was measured by competitive enzyme immuno assay (EIA), in samples obtained at 8:00,15:00 and 23:00 h in 78 patients without Cushing syndrome, aged 40 +/- 15 years (28 males), 30 patients with depression aged 40 +/- 12 years (nine males) and four females with Cushing syndrome aged 42 +/- 17 years.


RESULTS
Salivary cortisol was higher among patients with Cushing syndrome than the rest of patients. A salivary cortisol over the cut-off value of O.16 ug/dL was found in 42% of subjects without Cushing syndrome and in 33% of patients with depression. Median values among patients without Cushing syndrome, depression and with Cushing syndrome were 0.21 (range < 0.1-1.42), 0.2 (range 0,12-0.9) and 0.58 (range 0.37-1.1) ug/dL, respectively


CONCLUSIONS
Salivary cortisol measured by EIA method was higher among patients with Cushing syndrome but there was a great overlap with values obtained in subjects without the syndrome.
Lépez
Macarena
M
Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Biología de la Reproducción, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile, Chile.
Caamaño
Egardo
E
Romero
Carmen
C
Fiedler
Jenny
J
Araya
Verónica
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone