24 Hour Comprehensive Hormone Profiling

Type of Test: 24 hour Urine Collection, Tests profile for 20 Hormones

Why Profiling? A profile provides in tabular format a group of data, which may reveal traits or characteristics, which might not be gleaned from single data points seen in isolation. Due to the large number and complex metabolic pathways of steroid hormones of both adrenal and gonadal origin, profiling has been a goal since the late 1960’s. However, clinical hormone testing has largely been confined to assaying one or the other primary hormone in either serum or urine by radioimmunoassay. A profile constructed by this approach is prohibitively expensive.

In recent years, gas chromatography coupled with unequivocal identification and quantification of steroids via mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been the preferred approach to profiling. However, this strategy has largely been confined to universities and medical schools, owing to high equipment and personnel costs associated with operating this rather sophisticated equipment.

Striving to make state-of-the-art hormone profiling widely available the laboratory we use offers research quality testing to the ever-growing community of health care providers and their patients who recognize the importance of the delicate balance inherent in the production of hormones, their physiological actions and metabolism. It is well appreciated that besides playing pivotal roles in reproductive functions certain of these hormones and/or their metabolites have widespread effects on the central nervous system. There they may be involved in mediating, amongst other things, mood disorders including depression, sexual receptivity, appetite as well as cognitive and motor functions.

Hormones of Interest

Hormones in normal or pathophysiological states can be grouped into primary and secondary hormones. Primary steroids have recognized biological functions and include estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol and aldosterone. These, due to their low concentrations, present significant analytical obstacles. Progesterone for instance is not normally detectable in urine and thus does not lend itself to direct assay. In any case, measurements of primary steroids, either in combination or in isolation, give little information on possible errors or imbalances in biosynthetic pathways.

Profiling affords a means of providing significant information on the metabolic pathways of steroid hormones and is an answer to some of the shortcomings associated with analysis of primary and/or secondary steroids only. We have carefully conceived a profile of primary and secondary steroid hormones and their most important metabolites. The profile presently is comprised of more than 20 components and includes:

Estrone (E1)
Estradiol (E2)
Estriol (E3)
Testosterone
Androstanediol
Androstenedione
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Androstenetriol (5-AT)
Androsterone (AN)
Etiocholanolone (ET)
Pregnenolone
Cortisone (E)
Tetrahydrocortisone (THE)
Tetrahydrocorticosterone (THB)
5-Tetrahydrocorticosterone (5-THB)
Tetrahydro-11-dehydrocorticosterone (THA)
Cortisol (F)
Tetrahydrocortisol (THF)
5-Tetrahydrocortisol (5-THF)

Type of Test: 24-hour urine collection

Tests For: Hormone levels

Insurance Coverage

There is NO guarantee that insurance will cover this test. If it is covered the laboratory (not Beverly Medical Center since we are not doing the actual testing) can provide you with a Superbill to submit for reimbursement. The laboratory name is Rhein Consulting. You can request this paperwork by contacting the lab at 503-292-1988.

Results Turn-around Time

The lab will mail your results directly to Beverly Medical Center approximately 2-3 weeks after they receive your specimens in the mail.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are taking oral hormones or topical hormone creams of any kind DO NOT take or use them the day before and the day of the collection for this test. If you are using a hormone patch continue use as normal.

Source Credit: 2002 Rhein Consulting Laboratories

***The information presented herein is intended for healthcare professionals. Its purpose is educational and is not intended as a guide to diagnose or treat disease.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us during business hours via email (info@beverlymedicalcenter.com) or phone (919-844-4552)