Authors’ Response: Urine Free Cortisol Assay

Laurence M. Demers and Richard S. Legro

Department of Pathology (L.M.D.), and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.S.L.) The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033

Address correspondence to: Richard S. Legro, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033.

To the editor:

Urine assays for cortisol in our laboratory have been appropriately validated for accuracy, recovery and precision according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards guidelines along with comparison studies to an HPLC method. We also participate in the American College of Pathologists proficiency survey program that tracks urine cortisol results across a range of methods from different laboratories throughout the United States. The antibody used for our cortisol assay shows minimal cross-reactivity (<1%) with other possible interferents including corticosterone, cortisone, and 11-deocycortisone, and none of the individual subjects in this study were on steroid therapy including prednisone to suggest a chemical interference in our urinary free cortisol results. Our method uses a methylene chloride extraction step before RIA. We have no reason to believe that our results are not accurate or reproducible using our RIA method.

Received May 19, 2003.





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