Studies on the diurnal variations of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in saliva by enzyme immunoassay in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

The diurnal rhythm of 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentration in the saliva was determined in 11 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia ranging in age from 9 to 20 years. A total of 21 tests were performed using a 17-OHP-enzyme immunoassay. The investigations were carried out during normal school or working days. The tests were done 16 times in patients with optimal therapeutic control and 5 times in patients with undertreatment. The concentrations of saliva 17-OHP in the morning were significantly lower after a therapy interval during the night of 8 hours than of more than 10 hours. In patients with poor substitution all values of the days were higher than in patients with optimal therapy control. The morning values are appropriate for the evaluation of the therapy control. With regular 8 hours' therapy intervals the limit between normal and pathological values may be about 500 pmol/l saliva.