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DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), Serum

DHEA

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB6000, Beaker: XDHEAS, MAYO: DHEA

Department

Send Outs

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect (preferred specimen): One plain Red-top tube.

Do not use Serum Separator Tubes (SST).

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and freeze.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, frozen. (Minimum: 0.5 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Grossly hemolyzed specimens.
• Grossly lipemic specimens.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and freeze. 

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, frozen. (Minimum: 0.5 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 6 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 21 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 28 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Mayo Medical Laboratories, Rochester, MN.

Performed

Monday – Thursday.
Results available 2-7 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Interpretation

Patients with Cushing's disease may have increased DHEA and increased cortisol levels, and patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia may have increased DHEA level and decreased cortisol level. However, DHEA currently has not been established for the purpose of differential diagnosis.

Administration of ACTH increases DHEA secretion. Administration of corticosteroids decreases DHEA.

Clinical Utility

Elevated plasma DHEA concentrations are suggestive of a heterozygous form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Patients with hyperandrogeny of adrenal origin often have an elevated DHEA: androstenedione ratio.

CPT Codes

82626
LOINC:  2193-1

Contacts

Last Updated

3/7/2023