Measurement of gonadal hormones in dried blood spots versus serum: Verification of menstrual cycle phase

Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff; Rebecca Reavis; William H. Overman; Douglas A. Granger

doi:10.1006/hbeh.2001.1657

Measurement of gonadal hormones in dried blood spots versus serum: Verification of menstrual cycle phase

Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Rebecca Reavis, William H. Overman, Douglas A. Granger

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the present study, we show that blood spot assays for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone are a reliable, accurate, and sensitive means for measuring circulating gonadal hormones. The lower limit of sensitivity of each blood spot assay is sufficient to determine gonadal hormone levels in adult females. Correspondence of serum to blood spot measures is high, with blood spot hormone levels explaining an average of 88.60% of the variance in serum gonadal hormones in females, but only 46.20% in males. We provide formulas for converting hormone levels in blood to hormone levels in serum (which traditional endocrinology studies report). Finally, we show that careful attempts to estimate hormone status by day-count methods are unreliable when compared to hormone assay in blood spots.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	258-266
Number of pages	9
Journal	Hormones and Behavior
Volume	39
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1006/hbeh.2001.1657
State	Published - 2001

Keywords

Dried blood spots
Estradiol
Menstrual cycle phase
Progesterone
Serum
Testosterone

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Endocrinology
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1006/hbeh.2001.1657

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title = "Measurement of gonadal hormones in dried blood spots versus serum: Verification of menstrual cycle phase",

abstract = "In the present study, we show that blood spot assays for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone are a reliable, accurate, and sensitive means for measuring circulating gonadal hormones. The lower limit of sensitivity of each blood spot assay is sufficient to determine gonadal hormone levels in adult females. Correspondence of serum to blood spot measures is high, with blood spot hormone levels explaining an average of 88.60% of the variance in serum gonadal hormones in females, but only 46.20% in males. We provide formulas for converting hormone levels in blood to hormone levels in serum (which traditional endocrinology studies report). Finally, we show that careful attempts to estimate hormone status by day-count methods are unreliable when compared to hormone assay in blood spots.",

keywords = "Dried blood spots, Estradiol, Menstrual cycle phase, Progesterone, Serum, Testosterone",

author = "Shirtcliff, {Elizabeth A.} and Rebecca Reavis and Overman, {William H.} and Granger, {Douglas A.}",

note = "Funding Information: Special thanks are due to Eve Schwartz, Mary Curran, and Thema Nicholson for their assistance with various aspects of these projects. The studies were supported in part by the Pennsylvania State University Behavioral Endocrinology Laboratory and by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant RO1 HD 35542-01A1 awarded to W.H.O. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of reagents by Diagnostic Systems Laborao-ries, Inc. (Webster, TX).",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1006/hbeh.2001.1657",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "39",

pages = "258--266",

journal = "Hormones and Behavior",

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T1 - Measurement of gonadal hormones in dried blood spots versus serum

T2 - Verification of menstrual cycle phase

AU - Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A.

AU - Reavis, Rebecca

AU - Overman, William H.

AU - Granger, Douglas A.

N1 - Funding Information: Special thanks are due to Eve Schwartz, Mary Curran, and Thema Nicholson for their assistance with various aspects of these projects. The studies were supported in part by the Pennsylvania State University Behavioral Endocrinology Laboratory and by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant RO1 HD 35542-01A1 awarded to W.H.O. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of reagents by Diagnostic Systems Laborao-ries, Inc. (Webster, TX).

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - In the present study, we show that blood spot assays for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone are a reliable, accurate, and sensitive means for measuring circulating gonadal hormones. The lower limit of sensitivity of each blood spot assay is sufficient to determine gonadal hormone levels in adult females. Correspondence of serum to blood spot measures is high, with blood spot hormone levels explaining an average of 88.60% of the variance in serum gonadal hormones in females, but only 46.20% in males. We provide formulas for converting hormone levels in blood to hormone levels in serum (which traditional endocrinology studies report). Finally, we show that careful attempts to estimate hormone status by day-count methods are unreliable when compared to hormone assay in blood spots.

AB - In the present study, we show that blood spot assays for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone are a reliable, accurate, and sensitive means for measuring circulating gonadal hormones. The lower limit of sensitivity of each blood spot assay is sufficient to determine gonadal hormone levels in adult females. Correspondence of serum to blood spot measures is high, with blood spot hormone levels explaining an average of 88.60% of the variance in serum gonadal hormones in females, but only 46.20% in males. We provide formulas for converting hormone levels in blood to hormone levels in serum (which traditional endocrinology studies report). Finally, we show that careful attempts to estimate hormone status by day-count methods are unreliable when compared to hormone assay in blood spots.

KW - Dried blood spots

KW - Estradiol

KW - Menstrual cycle phase

KW - Progesterone

KW - Serum

KW - Testosterone

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Measurement of gonadal hormones in dried blood spots versus serum: Verification of menstrual cycle phase

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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