title: Adult testosterone and calculated free testosterone reference ranges by tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Testosterone is measured for the investigation of female hyperandrogenism and male hypogonadism. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (tandem MS) is becoming the method of choice but comprehensive reference ranges are lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Testosterone was measured by tandem MS on 90 healthy women, 67 young healthy men and pregnant women (59 first trimester and 60 second trimester).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The male, male calculated free, first trimester and second trimester testosterone reference ranges (derived using the antilog of mean ± 1.96 SD of log transformed data) were 10.6-31.9, 0.23-0.63, 0.6-4.9 and 0.9-4.9 nmol/L, respectively. The female testosterone upper reference range limit, derived non-parametrically from the 97.5th centile, was <1.7 nmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have derived tandem MS testosterone reference ranges to support clinical services.
authors: Department of Medical Biochemistry & Immunology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, UK.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Neale
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hocking
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Biswas
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Turkes
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Rees
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Rees
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone