Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEA-SO4), Serum

Specimen requirement Adult patient:

  Clotted blood tube (Serum gel separator clot activator tube)

Minimum blood volume: 5 mL
Paediatric patient:

Paediatric clotted blood tube

Number of vials: 2

Minimum blood volume: 1.6 mL

Authorisation code required

 No

 

(Reserved test for Endocrinologists)
24 Hr available service No
Method Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
Reference interval

Age and sex dependent

(Unit: µmol/L)

 
Age Male Female
1 - 7 day 2.3 - 11.5 1.9 - 12.8
8 - 15 day 0.8 - 4.8 0.9 - 9.5
16 day - < 4 year <  2.7 < 3.3
4 - < 7 year < 6.2 < 1.3
7 - < 9 year 0.2 - 3.2 0.3 - 2.1
9 - < 11 year 0.4 - 2.4 0.3 - 5.3
11 - < 12 year 0.5 - 5.2 0.2 - 2.7
12 - < 13 year 0.3 - 10.1 0.7 - 6.1
13 - < 14 year 0.4 - 7.8 0.6 - 4.6
14 - < 15 year 0.4 - 8.1 0.6 - 8.9
15 - < 16 year 1.4 - 12.0 0.9 - 9.5
16 - < 17 year 0.8 - 9.9 1.5 - 10.5
17 - < 18 year 2.7 - 9.3 2.3 - 11.0
18 - < 20 year 2.8 - 12.9 3.9 - 11.9
> 20 year 2.2 - 15.2 1.0 - 11.7

 

(Source:

1. Paediatric reference range (< 20 year) adopted from Clin Chem Lab Med 2002; 40: 1151 - 60

2. Adult reference range (> 20 year) adopted from Siemens Immulite 2000 DHEAS kit insert
(PIL2KDS-21, 2015-06-17), based on correlation studies.)
Clinical indication

Investigation of infertility, hirsutism, and virilisation in females
Result interpretation

Elevated levels indicate an adrenal origin of androgens, typically congenital adrenal hyperplasia or adrenal tumour.
Measurement of uncertainty See table.
Frequency of measurement 1 - 2 weeks