title: Utility of salivary enzyme immunoassays for measuring estradiol and testosterone in adolescents: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the utility of enzyme immunoassay kits for measuring low levels of salivary estradiol and testosterone in adolescents and objectively assessed prevalence of blood contamination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endocrine patients provided plasma and saliva for estradiol (females) or testosterone (males) assay. Saliva samples were also tested with a blood contamination kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Picomolar levels of salivary estradiol in females failed to show any significant correlation with plasma values (r=0.20, p=0.37). The nanomolar levels of salivary testosterone in males showed a strong correlation (r=0.78, p<0.001). A significant number of saliva samples had blood contamination. After exclusion, correlations remained non-significant for estradiol, but strengthened for testosterone (r=0.88, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The salivary estradiol enzyme immunoassay is not clinically informative at low levels. Users should interpret clinical saliva with caution due to potential blood contamination. Our data supports the utility of the salivary testosterone enzyme immunoassay for monitoring adolescent boys on hormone developmental therapy.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Adolescent Medicine, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia, Phone: +61 2 9845 2178, Fax: +61 2 9845 2517.
authors.forename: Mazen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amatoury
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ambler
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Katharine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Steinbeck
keywords: adolescent; estradiol; puberty; saliva; testosterone