17-OH progesterone
It is a blood test that measures the amount of 17-OH progesterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and gonads.
How the test is performed
Blood is drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The puncture site is cleaned with a disinfectant (antiseptic). The health care provider wraps an elastic band around the upper arm to apply pressure to the area and make the vein swell with blood.
The doctor then gently inserts a needle into the vein and blood collected in a vial or tube attached to the needle. The elastic band is removed to restore circulation.
Once it has collected the blood sample, the needle is removed and covered the puncture site to stop any bleeding.
In infants or young children, you can use a tool called a lancet to puncture the skin and make it bleed. The blood collects into a small glass tube called a pipette, a slide or test strip. Finally, you can place a bandage over the area if there is any bleeding.
The blood sample is sent to the laboratory for analysis.
Prepare for the Test
Your doctor may ask you to stop taking any drugs that may cause false test results. These drugs include corticosteroids and birth control pills.
The doctor may also recommend the examination at a specific time of day, which can be sensitive to circadian rhythms, ie the natural ups and downs that the body undergoes a period of 24 hours.
What you feel during the examination
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Subsequently, there may be some throbbing.
Why the test is performed
This test is used to identify congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in infants. Often performed on infants who are born with external genitalia that do not have the typical appearance of a boy or a girl.
This test is also used to identify persons with nonclassical adrenal hyperplasia, a condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough of a substance that helps the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
Your doctor may recommend this test if you are a woman who have excessive hair growth in places where they grow to adult men or other signs of virilization.
Normal Values
Normal and abnormal values differ for babies born with low weight. In general, normal results are as follows
* Umbilical cord: 1,000-3,000 ng / dL
*> 24 hours: less than 100 ng / dL
* Adults: less than 200 ng / dL
Note: ng / dL = nanograms per deciliter.
Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
Significance of abnormal results
High levels of 17-OH progesterone may be due to:
* Adrenal tumors
* Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
In infants with CAH, the levels of 17 - OH progesterone ranging from 3,000 to 40,000 ng / dL. In adults, a level above 200 ng / dL may be due to nonclassical adrenal hyperplasia.
Risks
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to another reason why blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks may include:
* Excessive bleeding
* Fainting or dizziness
* Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
* Infection (a slight risk that is broken skin)
Considerations
The doctor may suggest an ACTH test whether the level of 17-OH progesterone is between 200 and 800 ng / dL.
Alternative Names
17-hydroxyprogesterone, 17-OH Progesterone
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