17-HYDROXYPROGESTERONE IN NORMAL-CHILDREN AND CONGENITAL ADRENAL-HYPERPLASIA - MEASUREMENT IN SERUM BY RADIOIMMUNOASSAY AFTER THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Abstract. Serum 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone (17 OH‐P) was measured by a specific radioimmunoassay technique combined with thin‐layer chromatography. Normal values for children are <1.1 μg/1 (<3.3 nmol/1)—corresponding to values found in the literature. In congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) values up to several hundred μg/1 are found. The values rise after ACTH stimulation and are suppressed by decadrone or cortisone treatment. The rise in 17 ketosteroids and pregnanetriol in untreated CAH is relatively smaller (15–25 fold). This clinical sensitivity of 17 OH‐P is thus valuable for the diagnosis of CAH (21 hydroxylase deficiency). Furthermore it is easier to take a blood sample than to collect urine for 24 hours. The usefulness in therapeutic monitoring is being studied. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved