Clinical Significance:
17-Hydroxy Progesterone is a steroid derived primarily from enzymatic metabolism of Progesterone and 17-Hydroxy Pregnenolone. It is converted enzymatically to Androstenedione and 11-Deoxycortisol. It is produced in both the gonads and adrenal glands. It is excreted into the urine in conjugated and unconjugated forms of 17-Hydroxy Progesterone and as Pregnanetriol. This assay measures the total of the conjugated and unconjugated forms. It is stimulated by ACTH and suppressed by Dexamethasone. Levels of urine 17-Hydroxy Progesterone are greatly increased in patients with Polycystic Ovarian Disease and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and show exaggerated responses to ACTH in these cases. 17-Hydroxy Progesterone is the marker steroid for determining cases of 21a-Hydroxylase Deficient Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. Urine levels are frequently elevated in patients with idiopathic hirsutism
Reference Ranges:
0.1 – 4.2 ng/mg Creatinine
Procedure:
Urine 17-Hydroxy Progesterone is measured by radioimmunoassay.
Patient Preparation:
Patient should not be on any Corticosteroid, ACTH, Estrogen, or Gonadotropin medications, if possible, for at least 48 hours prior to collection of specimen.
Specimen Collection:
10 ml of a random urine collection should be submitted for analysis. No special preservatives are required. Store specimen refrigerated during collection. Specimens should be frozen prior to shipping. Minimum specimen size is 5 ml.
Shipping Instructions:
Ship specimens frozen in dry ice.
References:
- E Carmina and RA Lobo. Pituitary-Adrenal Responses to Corticotropin-Releasing
Factor in Late Onset 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency. Fertility and Sterility 54: 79-83, 1990. - ET Wong, DR Brown, RA Ulstrom, and MW Steffes. Urinary 17-alpha-
Hydroxyprogesterone in Diagnosis and Management of Congenital Adrenal
Hyperplasia. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 49: 377, 1979.