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Salivary versus Serum Testosterone Levels in Boys with Constitutional Delay of Growth and Puberty

The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine volume 31, pages 38–42 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Salivary testosterone (Sal-T) has been established as a noninvasive biomarker in the diagnosis of androgen deficiency in men. However, available data on its utility in adolescent boys with constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) are not conclusive. Our study was designed to compare salivary versus serum measurements of free testosterone (FT) from the samples collected simultaneously and correlated them with the clinical parameters in boys with CDGP.

Patients and methods

The study enrolled 25 adolescent boys with CDGP and 20 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Weight, height, BMI, testicular volume, bone age, serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were assessed. Simultaneous morning saliva and serum samples were obtained for FT measurements by radioimmunoassay and Sal-T by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique.

Results

Adolescent boys with CDGP had significantly lower Sal-T and serum free-T than normal controls (P<0.001). Sal-T positively correlated with BMI, bone age, testicular volume, serum FSH, LH, and FT. With multiple regression analysis BMI, FSH, LH, and serum FT remained independently correlated with Sal-T. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve, Sal-T was found to be more sensitive than serum FT (76 vs. 69%) in the clinical assessment of boys with CDGP.

Conclusion

Our data shows that Sal-T strongly correlates with FT and provides a sensitive, simple, noninvasive, and diagnostic approach for androgen status in adolescent boys with CDGP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Specialized Medical Hospital, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 2554, Egypt

    Eman H. El-Adawy MD

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Specialized Medical Hospital, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Enas T. El-Khamisy & Ghada El-Said

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt

    Amal Seleem

Authors
  1. Eman H. El-Adawy MD
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  2. Enas T. El-Khamisy
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  3. Ghada El-Said
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  4. Amal Seleem
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Correspondence to Eman H. El-Adawy MD.

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El-Adawy, E.H., El-Khamisy, E.T., El-Said, G. et al. Salivary versus Serum Testosterone Levels in Boys with Constitutional Delay of Growth and Puberty. Egypt J Intern Med 31, 38–42 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_66_18

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