Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is a condition stimulated by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland or a pituitary adenoma. The tumor triggers excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone production, leading to a range of symptoms and complications including weight gain, heart attacks, and stroke. And so, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are essential to minimize patient risk.
The current method of measuring cortisol levels is by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). While CLIA is the gold standard, it has several drawbacks including a significant false-positive rate. The University of Turin’s division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism has developed a method for the simultaneous quantification of cortisol, cortisone, dexamethasone, and six other exogenous corticosteroids in serum and blood samples.
Read this case study to discover:
- Details about dexamethasone testing
- Why improved means of CS diagnosis are essential
- How traditional and new protocols for detecting cortisol, cortisone, dexamethasone, and exogenous corticosteroids differ
- A detailed protocol, including sample preparation, for accurate detection of CS using LC-MS/MS analysis in less than 90 minutes from a serum or plasma sample
