Endocrine Abstracts

Salivary androgens (testosterone, androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 11-ketotestosterone and 11-hydroxyandrostenedione) are currently analysed on samples collected by passive drool. Other saliva analyses such as cortisol are often collected using swabs such as Sarstedt Salivettes, therefore multiple samples are required if both cortisol and androgen analysis is requested. The aim of this study was to determine whether salivary androgen analysis could be performed on samples collected using swabs. A total of 19 healthy volunteers were recruited to the study (10 female, 9 male). Each volunteer collected two saliva samples, one immediately after the other. One sample was collected by drooling into a plastic tube, the other by chewing a Salivette swab for 30 seconds. In addition, one male and one female volunteer also collected samples via passive drool and using a SalivaBio swab. Volunteers were not instructed as to which sample to collect first. Samples were centrifuged and frozen prior to analysis by LC-MS/MS. Statistical analysis showed that testosterone, androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 11-ketotestosterone concentrations were significantly different when collected using Salivettes compared to passive drool (P<0.05). The Wilcoxon signed rank test showed the 11-hydroxyandrostenedione concentrations were the same when collected by Salivette or by passive drool (P=0.953), however closer examination of the data revealed that although most of the paired samples agreed, there were large differences between some of the pairs, ranging from -341 to 42%. Large discrepancies in results were also noted between passive drool and SalivaBio samples for testosterone and 11-hydroxyandrostenedione, and there was interference in 17-hydroxprogesterone chromatography for one of the SalivaBio samples. Salivary androgen concentrations are significantly different when samples are collected on Salivettes compared to passive drool. Salivette samples are not suitable for salivary androgen analysis. Further work remains to be done to assess the suitability of SalivaBio swabs for androstenedione and 11-ketotestosterone analysis.