Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and androstenedione concentrations in children with adrenal disorders.

This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) and androstenedione concentrations in diagnosing adrenal disorders in children. Serum concentrations of DHAS and androstenedione were determined in 20 children with adrenal disorders, including virilizing adrenal tumor (3), classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (16), and Addison's disease (1). For comparison, the sera of 276 age-matched normal children were studied. All three children with virilizing adrenal tumors had elevated serum concentrations of DHAS and androstenedione. All of the 16 children with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia had elevated serum androstenedione concentrations and 11 had elevated serum DHAS concentrations. The serum concentrations of DHAS and androstenedione of the patient with Addison's disease were within the normal range for his age. Our findings demonstrate the value and limitations of the determination of serum DHAS and androstenedione concentration for the diagnosis of adrenal hyperandrogenic disorders in children. We suggest that the determination of serum DHAS and androstenedione concentrations may be of limited clinical value in the diagnosis of adrenal hypofunction due to Addison's disease in children.