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Clinical utility of salivary androgen profiles as a diagnostic tool in premature adrenarche: a pilot study
  1. Olivia Buckingham-Woodhouse1,
  2. Julie Park2,3,
  3. Silothabo Dliso4,5,
  4. Orla Bright3,
  5. Daniel Hawcutt3,4,5,
  6. Alena Shantsila6,7,
  7. Gregory Y H Lip7,8,
  8. Joanne C Blair2,3,5
  1. 1School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
  2. 2Department of Endocrinology, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
  3. 3Department of Women's and Children’s Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
  4. 4Clinical Research Division, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
  5. 5National Institute for Health Research, Alder Hey Clinical Research Facility, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK
  6. 6Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Liverpool, UK
  7. 7Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
  8. 8Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
  1. Correspondence to Professor Joanne C Blair; jo.blair{at}alderhey.nhs.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2024-328202

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    Premature adrenarche (PA) is characterised by early maturation of the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland before 8 and 9 years in girls and boys, respectively.1 Biochemical analysis of androgens is required to exclude serious pathology, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumours.2 Measurement of androgens in serum and urine presents several disadvantages. Blood testing may be painful and stressful, and children often dislike providing urine samples. Measurement of androgens in saliva is a pain-free, convenient alternative, and samples can be collected at home.3 New analytical methods enable the determination of multiple androgens on single saliva samples, including 11-oxygenated androgens.4 In contrast to androstenedione and testosterone, 11-oxygenated androgens are synthesised only …

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    Footnotes

    • X @pharmaforkids

    • Contributors OB-W recruited study participants, delivered the study protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. JP supported the development of the study protocol, set up the study and reviewed the manuscript. SD contributed to the delivery of the study protocol and reviewed the manuscript. OB recruited the healthy child volunteers whose data are reported in the manuscript. DH, AS and GYHL contributed to the development of the study protocol, advised on study delivery and reviewed the manuscript. JCB wrote the study protocol, obtained ethics permissions and oversaw the delivery of the study. She is the study guarantor and chief investigator.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.