Application of glass capillary gas chromatography to the study of urinary steroid excretion in normal children and in patients with various endocrinopathies.

A method of gas chromatography on glass capillary columns (g. c. c. c.) is presented which allows the determination of 26 urinary C19 and C21 steroid metabolites in one procedure. Hundredthirtyseven normal individuals of both sexes from 6 months through 32 years of age were studied regarding their urinary steroid patterns. These were compared to the excretion patterns of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia before and during treatment and of a child with virilizing adrenal carcinoma. From the results it is concluded that g. c. c. c. may be considered a valuable tool in the study of steroid production and metabolism.