New Diagnostic Cutoffs for Adrenal Insufficiency After Cosyntropin Stimulation Using Abbott Architect Cortisol Immunoassay. 2022

Li Zha, and Jieli Li, and Subhashree Mallika Krishnan, and Michael R Brennan, and Yan Victoria Zhang, and Patrick Povse, and Rae Kerlin, and Kevin Shively, and Felicia Oleksik, and JoAnna Williams, and Elizabeth Sykes, and Qian Sun
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States; Current Address: Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

BACKGROUND The accurate interpretation of the cosyntropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH]) stimulation test requires method- and assay-specific cutoffs of the level of cortisol. Compared with a historical cutoff (18 μg/dL) for polyclonal antibody-based immunoassays, lower thresholds were proposed for the Roche Elecsys II assay, which uses a monoclonal antibody. However, cutoffs for other commonly adopted, monoclonal antibody-based cortisol assays were not yet available. Here, we established the thresholds for the level of cortisol specific to the Abbott Architect immunoassay by comparing the measurements of the level of cortisol using 3 immunoassays. METHODS The ACTH stimulation test was performed in patients with suspected adrenal insufficiency (n = 50). The serum cortisol level was measured using the Abbott Architect, Roche Elecsys II, and Siemens Centaur assays. The results of the Abbott assay were also compared with those of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to derive new diagnostic thresholds for the Abbott assay using the polyclonal antibody-based Siemens assay as the reference method. RESULTS The concentrations of cortisol measured using the Abbott assay were similar to those measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and the Roche Elecsys II assay but significantly lower than those measured using the Siemens assay. The optimized threshold for cortisol using the Abbott assay was 14.6 μg/dL at 60 minutes after stimulation (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 96%) and 13.2 μg/dL at 30 minutes after stimulation (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 89%). CONCLUSIONS We recommend a threshold of 14.6 μg/dL for the level of cortisol at 60 minutes after ACTH stimulation for the Abbott assay. In comparison with the historical threshold of 18 μg/dL, the application of the new cutoff may significantly decrease false-positive results due to ACTH stimulation testing. The use of assay-specific cutoffs will be essential for reducing misclassification and overtreatment in patients with suspected adrenal insufficiency.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007118 Immunoassay A technique using antibodies for identifying or quantifying a substance. Usually the substance being studied serves as antigen both in antibody production and in measurement of antibody by the test substance. Immunochromatographic Assay,Assay, Immunochromatographic,Assays, Immunochromatographic,Immunoassays,Immunochromatographic Assays
D003366 Cosyntropin A synthetic peptide that is identical to the 24-amino acid segment at the N-terminal of ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE. ACTH (1-24), a segment similar in all species, contains the biological activity that stimulates production of CORTICOSTEROIDS in the ADRENAL CORTEX. ACTH (1-24),Tetracosactide,Tetracosactrin,1-24-ACTH,1-24-Corticotropin,ACTH 1-24,Corticotropin (1-24)-Peptide,Corticotropin (1-24)-Tetracosapeptide,Cortosyn,Cortrosyn,Synthetic ACTH,Tetracosapeptide,ACTH, Synthetic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006854 Hydrocortisone The main glucocorticoid secreted by the ADRENAL CORTEX. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions. Cortef,Cortisol,Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-, (11beta)-,11-Epicortisol,Cortifair,Cortril,Epicortisol,Hydrocortisone, (11 alpha)-Isomer,Hydrocortisone, (9 beta,10 alpha,11 alpha)-Isomer,11 Epicortisol
D000309 Adrenal Insufficiency Conditions in which the production of adrenal CORTICOSTEROIDS falls below the requirement of the body. Adrenal insufficiency can be caused by defects in the ADRENAL GLANDS, the PITUITARY GLAND, or the HYPOTHALAMUS. Adrenal Gland Hypofunction,Hypoadrenalism,Adrenal Insufficiencies,Hypofunction, Adrenal Gland
D000324 Adrenocorticotropic Hormone An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the ADRENAL CORTEX and its production of CORTICOSTEROIDS. ACTH is a 39-amino acid polypeptide of which the N-terminal 24-amino acid segment is identical in all species and contains the adrenocorticotrophic activity. Upon further tissue-specific processing, ACTH can yield ALPHA-MSH and corticotrophin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP). ACTH,Adrenocorticotropin,Corticotropin,1-39 ACTH,ACTH (1-39),Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone,Corticotrophin,Corticotrophin (1-39),Corticotropin (1-39),Hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic,Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic
D000911 Antibodies, Monoclonal Antibodies produced by a single clone of cells. Monoclonal Antibodies,Monoclonal Antibody,Antibody, Monoclonal

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