Urinary steroid analysis of women with effluvium

Abstract

Key WordsGas chromatography Solid phase extraction Methoxime-silyl derivate Urinary steroids Women with effluvium SummaryUrinary steroid metabolites were measured by capillary gas chromatography in 25 women (aged 33.3 +_ 12.0 years) with effluvium and 16 control healthy laboratory workers women (aged 34.6 _+ 8.4 years). There was significant elevation in the level of a number of steroids and steroid metabolites. The elevation of most steroid metabolites refers to the increased steroid secretion of the adrenal and the high cortisol metabolites levels may be do to stress in some of the patients with effluvium.

Urinary Steroid Measurements in Some Endocrine and Psychiatric Diseases

“…The increased level of the stress marker aTHB (p<0.05) and F (p<0.01) in women, but not in men with MD, show the sex differences in MD [10]. This tendency was not observed in hair loss diseases [7][8][9]. We found other marked gender differences in the steroid profiles of depressed patients as well (Table 1.)…”

“…The increased level of An, Et (p<0.01), the metabolites of androstenedione and testosterone, seems to point the importance of peripheral androgen metabolism [14]. The main role in this process is assigned to the scalp skin [15] while the elevated levels of DHEA (AA in women, E) and 16-OH-DHEA (AA in men and women, E) indicate the involvement of adrenal steroids in these diseases [7][8][9]. Unlike in MD in women (p<0.01) and in EDS, (p<0.05) significantly decreased levels of DHEA were found [10,11], which are consistent with other's finding on saliva or serum [16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

“…Calculating some metabolites ratio, we can point out the involvement of the enzyme function in these diseases and it is very useful in avoiding incorrect results if the urine collection is inappropriate. The increased function of the 5α-reductase (p<0.05) has an important role in the hair loss not only in women, but in men too [7][8][9]. It has been proposed that elevated activity of 5α-reductase may lead to higher intrafollicular DHT levels, which, in turn, inhibit hair follicle adenylate cyclase activity [15].…”

“…point their continuously stressed status because of their hair loss [7][8][9], and the increased F together with the elevated level of all main androgen metabolites marks the hyperactivity of adrenal. The increased level of the stress marker aTHB (p<0.05) and F (p<0.01) in women, but not in men with MD, show the sex differences in MD [10].…”