title: LC-MS/MS-based method for long-term steroid profiling in human scalp hair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the method of choice for quantification of steroids. Human scalp hair provides the possibility to measure long-term retrospective steroid concentrations, which is especially useful for steroids with large time-dependent fluctuations in concentration, such as the glucocorticoid cortisol.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We set up and validated a LC-MS/MS-based method for long-term steroid profiling, quantifying cortisol, cortisone, testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair locks were cut from the posterior vertex of healthy male and female volunteers and washed in isopropanol. Steroids were extracted using methanol, and extract was cleaned up by solid-phase extraction and measured on a Waters XEVO-TQ-S LC-MS/MS. Lower limit of quantification, precision, matrix interference and intra-individual variation were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The functional sensitivity of our steroid analysis was <1·3, <9·3, 2·3, <1·3, <15·9, 1·87 pg/mg hair for cortisol, cortisone, testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), and 17OHP, respectively. Measured over a 9-month period, the inter-run CVs were below 16% for all steroids. Intra-individual coefficients of variation were below 15% for all steroids, except 17OHP (19·7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors present a LC-MS/MS-based method for long-term steroid profiling in human scalp hair, potentially providing novel insights by a multitude of clinical and research applications in the field of endocrinology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Section Endocrinology, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Noppe
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yolanda B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: de Rijke
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dorst
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section Endocrinology, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erica L T
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: van den Akker
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elisabeth F C
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: van Rossum
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D003348:Cortisone / Q000032:analysis; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000032:analysis; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D013256:Steroids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D003348:Cortisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone