scholarly journals Mifepristone (Korlym ®) Use Interferes With Accurate Serum Measurement of Sex Steroids

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A142-A143
Author(s):  
Gabriel Ikponmosa Uwaifo

Abstract Introduction: Mifepristone (MFP) aka RU-486/Korlym is a synthetic steroid analog originally developed in 1980 as an abortifacient that is now used in the management of Cushing’s syndrome (CS). It is both a progesterone (PG) and glucocorticoid (GC) receptor blocker. CS is often associated with reproductive functional anomalies including hypogonadism, menstrual irregularities and infertility. Due to its mode of action, measurement of serum PG and/or cortisol in patients on MFP are inaccurate indices of systemic PG and/or GC deficiency or excess. However, the potential impact of MFP use on other serum steroid assays has not been widely studied. We report the case of a 55 yr old man on treatment with MFP for adrenal CS found to have striking artefactual changes in serum androgen and estrogen levels. Case Summary: A 55 yr old African American man was referred with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity and untreated hypogonadism. He had a 3.2cm left adrenal incidentaloma associated with adrenal CS and he chose medical management rather than surgery. Upon starting MFP at 300mg QD serum total estrogen (by radio-immunoassay; RIA) and estradiol (by chemiluminescence immunoassay; CIA) were markedly elevated while serum total, free, bioavailable testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were all markedly reduced. His HBA1c, weight and energy levels improved on MFP despite these findings. The serum steroid levels normalized to pre-treatment levels after stopping MFP for ~ 4weeks but the changes recurred after restarting therapy. After MFP dose escalation to 300mg BID the serum steroid levels normalized after stopping MFP for ~ 6 weeks. The artefactual low testosterone levels also occured with measurement by equilibrium dialysis but “normal accurate” results were obtained when measured by liquid chromatography-Tandem mass spectrometry (LC-TMS). He remains on MFP 300mg BID without need for androgen repletion. Discussion: With increased use of MFP for CS, indices for tracking its clinical and biochemical effects assume great importance. There are few reports of the possible effects of MFP on estrogen and testosterone serum assays despite its touted low cross reactivity with sex steroids. Our case suggests that the significance, extent and prevalence of artefactual changes on serum sex steroid assays may be underestimated and under- appreciated. Conclusions: Our case of wide disparities in serum estrogen and androgen measures in a patient on MFP indicates that caution needs to be exercised in the interpretation of such results in patients on current MFP therapy. Our clinical observations suggest depending on the dose that a wash out period of 4–6 weeks is required to ensure accurate measures. Studies to ascertain the prevalence of this artefactual effect are needed and it appears testosterone measurement by LC-TMS obviates the testosterone assay artefact.

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1002-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Le Goff ◽  
Jordi Farre-Segura ◽  
Violeta Stojkovic ◽  
Patrice Dufour ◽  
Stéphanie Peeters ◽  
...  

AbstractHistorically, the determination of low concentration analytes was initially made possible by the development of rapid and easy-to-perform immunoassays (IAs). Unfortunately, typical problems inherent to IA technologies rapidly appeared (e.g. elevated cost, cross-reactivity, lot-to-lot variability, etc.). In turn, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods are sensitive and specific enough for such analyses. Therefore, they would seem to be the most promising candidates to replace IAs. There are two main choices when implementing a new LC-MS/MS method in a clinical laboratory: (1) Developing an in-house method or (2) purchasing ready-to-use kits. In this paper, we discuss some of the respective advantages, disadvantages and mandatory requirements of each choice. Additionally, we also share our experiences when developing an in-house method for cortisol determination and the implementation of an “ready-to-use” (RTU) kit for steroids analysis.


1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Hodges ◽  
S. A. K. Eastman ◽  
N. Jenkins

A sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) similar to human SHBG was identified in marmoset serum based on its gel electrophoretic mobility, isoelectric point and steroid binding properties. Levels of serum SHBG were measured in immature and mature males, immature females and females during the luteal phase and pregnancy; serum progesterone, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), testosterone, oestradiol-17β and oestrone were also measured. Mean (± s.e.m.) concentrations of SHBG in immature males (336 ±19 nmol/l) were higher (P <0·01) than those in mature males (251 ±13 nmol/l), whereas values in the groups of females were similar (359 ± 12, 395 ± 17, 397 ± 39 nmol/l in immature, non-pregnant and pregnant females respectively). There was an inverse relationship between SHBG and the levels of testosterone (r= −0·67) and 5α-DHT (r = −0·86) in males, but the correlation was significant (P <0·05) only for 5α-DHT. There was no correlation between levels of SHBG and oestrogens in males or between levels of SHBG and any of the steroids measured in females. Equilibrium dialysis was used to assess the percentage of steroid in serum in the unbound form. Mean percentage values for unbound testosterone and 5α-DHT were lower in immature males than in mature males (P <0·01) and negatively correlated with levels of SHBG (r = −0·78, testosterone; r = −0·56, 5α-DHT).


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Lionetto ◽  
Roberta Maggio ◽  
Pina Lardo ◽  
Donatella De Bernardini ◽  
Fabiola Cipolla ◽  
...  

Abstract Biochemical function of adrenal masses is currently based on 1mg post-overnight dexamethasone suppression test (pDST). Several approaches are recently developed, in order to reduce false positive/negative samples, only in retrospective series. They are based on the correlation of some different parameters, i.e. late-night salivary cortisol (LNSC) vs serum and salivary cortisol pDST; LNSC vs serum and salivary cortisol and serum dexamethasone pDST; LNSC and cortisone vs serum cortisol and salivary cortisol and cortisone pDST. Although these findings offer a better diagnostic performance, several conditions are still disappointed. No information is traceable about the harvest time of diurnal salivary and serum samples and no study include neither the levels of salivary nor urinary dexamethasone pDST. Aim of our study is to combine all these strategies in order to avoid the underestimated biases and obtain more precise information about the true “cortisol condition” of the patients. To reach this purpose we assess both cortisol and dexamethasone concentrations in several samples: saliva at 11PM before the drug administration, diurnal saliva and serum at 8AM and also the urine collection from 11PM to 8AM. Analytes levels are measured using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. In this study we included 20 subjects without morphological adrenal alteration (MRI assessment), dyslipidemia, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance (healthy controls) and 20 patients with adrenal incidentaloma showing different cortisol levels ranging from normal to ACTH-independent hypercortisolism. In both series, LNSC were similar to salivary cortisol pDST, even if they were greater in the patients with adrenal incidentalomas and subclinical cortisol secretion. Serum dexamethasone levels were in reference ranges, while salivary and urinary dexamethasone found in these matrices require additional sample numbers in order to establish appropriate cut-offs. Our preliminary results suggest that the combination of these findings could represent an improvement to assess the individual cortisol status.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Choo Tan ◽  
Kae Tan ◽  
Tzu Ng ◽  
Evan Quah ◽  
Ahmad Ismail ◽  
...  

Trimeresurus nebularis is a montane pit viper that causes bites and envenomation to various communities in the central highland region of Malaysia, in particular Cameron’s Highlands. To unravel the venom composition of this species, the venom proteins were digested by trypsin and subjected to nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for proteomic profiling. Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP) dominated the venom proteome by 48.42% of total venom proteins, with a characteristic distribution of P-III: P-II classes in a ratio of 2:1, while P-I class was undetected. Snaclecs constituted the second most venomous protein family (19.43%), followed by snake venom serine proteases (SVSP, 14.27%), phospholipases A2 (5.40%), disintegrins (5.26%) and minor proteins including cysteine-rich secretory proteins, L-amino acid oxidases, phosphodiesterases, 5′-nucleotidases. The venomic profile correlates with local (painful progressive edema) and systemic (hemorrhage, coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia) manifestation of T. nebularis envenoming. As specific antivenom is unavailable for T. nebularis, the hetero-specific Thai Green Pit viper Monovalent Antivenom (GPVAV) was examined for immunological cross-reactivity. GPVAV exhibited good immunoreactivity to T. nebularis venom and the antivenom effectively cross-neutralized the hemotoxic and lethal effects of T. nebularis (lethality neutralizing potency = 1.6 mg venom per mL antivenom). The findings supported GPVAV use in treating T. nebularis envenoming.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 999-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cortes ◽  
Moshe Talpaz ◽  
Susan O’Brien ◽  
Francis Giles ◽  
Mary Beth Rios ◽  
...  

Abstract Imatinib has become the treatment of choice for most with CML. The standard dose (SD) for CP CML is 400 mg daily, but pre-clinical and clinical observations suggest that higher doses (HD) may be more effective. We have treated 222 with previously untreated CML in early CP with imatinib in 3 consecutive trials: one using SD imatinib (400 mg/day) (n=50; all entered in April 2001) and 2 subsequent trials using 400 mg twice daily (total dose 800 mg/day) (n= 172; from June 2001 until present). The 2 HD trials had identical inclusion criteria and will be considered together for this analysis. Pts followed for at least 3 months (mo) are evaluable (n=210) for this report (n=49 at 400mg, 161 at 800 mg). The median age was 48 years (range, 15 to 84); platelets were >450 x109/L in 71 pts (34%), 78 (37%) had peripheral blood (PB) blasts, and 11 (5%) had clonal evolution. Sokal risk group classification was good in 128 (61%) pts, intermediate in 61 (29%) pts, and poor in 21 (10%) pts. There was no difference in pre-treatment characteristics between the standard SD and HD groups. The results at 18 months are as follows: Response % Response p value* 400 mg/day 800 mg/day CR=Complete remission, Molecular Major=BCR-ABL/ABL <0.05%, Molecular CR=BCR-ABL undetectable (confirmed by nested PCR), *p value by log-rank Median follow-up (months) 36 19 Cytogenetic CR 81 96 0.0002 Cytogenetic Major 99 93 0.15 Molecular Major 47 67 0.0007 Molecular CR 8 24 0.02 Four pts treated with SD have transformed (3 to BP, 1 to AP) and 3 (2 to BP, 1 to AP) in the HD groups (p=0.05) (median time to transformation 11 mo, range 3 to 27). Estimated progression-free survival at 12 mo is 92% in the SD group and 99% in the HD group (p=0.42) (p=0.12 for the estimated transformation-free-survival, 94% and 99% for SD and HD at 12 mo). 4 have died (1 in SD and 3 in HD). Extramedullary toxicity was similar in the 2 groups, but myelosuppression was more common with HD, with grade ≥3 anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurring in 7%, 39%, and 27% of pts receiving HD, respectively, and 4%, 20% and 12% of pts receiving SD. At 12 mo, the median actual dose for the HD group is still 800mg, with 40/112 (36%) evaluable having required dose reduction. This compares with 7/43 (14%) of those treated with SD. We conclude that high-dose imatinib results in higher rates of complete cytogenetic and molecular remissions, with some increase in myelosuppression.


1990 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskari Heikinheimo ◽  
Olavi Ylikorkala ◽  
Ursula Turpeinen ◽  
Pekka Lähteenmäki

Abstract. The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of RU 486 were characterized in 17 women who received a single dose of 600 mg of RU 486 for termination of an early unwanted pregnancy. Based on the clinical outcome and serum chorionic gonadotropin values, the subjects were divided into two groups: those who aborted completely (i.e. responders; N=13) and those who did not respond to RU 486 treatment (i.e. non-responders; N = 4). The serum levels of RU 486, the monodemethylated, didemethylated and hydroxylated metabolites of RU 486 were measured by HPLC preceded by column chromatography. There were no significant differences in the serum levels of RU 486 or its metabolites between the two groups. The serum concentrations of α1-acid glycoprotein, the binding protein for RU 486, were quantitated by immunoturbidimetry. The α1-acid glycoprotein concentrations were similar in responders and non-responders. The metabolism of RU 486 was also studied by fractionating extracts of serum pools of responders and nonresponders on thin-layer chromatography, and subsequent RIA analysis of the eluates of the sliced thin-layer chromatography. Spots with similar distribution and percentages of cross-reactivity were found in both groups on the chromatography; the results were also similar to those from a serum pool to which synthetic RU 486 and its three metabolites had been added. Hence it is concluded that failure to abort in response to RU 486 therapy is not associated with altered pharmacokinetics or metabolism of RU 486.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document