Reproducibility over Time of Measurements of Androgens, Estrogens and Hydroxy Estrogens in Urine Samples from Post-Menopausal Women

• Published in: European journal of epidemiology Vol. 18; no. 5; pp. 417 - 424
• Main Authors: Rinaldi, S., Moret, C. N., Kaaks, R., Biessy, C., Kurzer, M. S., Déchaud, H., Peeters, P. H. M., van Noord, P. A. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.01.2003; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Androgens - urine; Biological and medical sciences; Biological markers; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - urine; Creatinine - urine; Endocrinology; Epidemiologic studies; Estrogens; Estrogens - urine; Female; Hormones; Humans; Hydrolysis; Hydroxyestrones - urine; Immunoenzyme Techniques - methods; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Liquid chromatography; Medical sciences; Menopause; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Pilot Projects; Postmenopause; Postmenopause - urine; Reproducibility of Results; Reproductive system; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Sex hormones; Statistical variance; Steroids; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Urinalysis - methods; Urine; Urine specimen collection; Women; Netherlands; Human; Measurement; Urine; Post-menopausal women; Androgen; Sample; Estrogens; Estrogen; Exploration; Hydroxy estrogens; Androgens; Reproducibility; Postmenopause; Female; Sex steroid hormone
• ISSN: 0393-2990; 1573-7284
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1024209122412

Sex steroid concentrations in urine samples from post-menopausal women have been associated with risk of various chronic diseases. The basic requirement for the assessment of risk in such large-scale epidemiological studies is that subjects be ranked accurately by their average, long-term hormone levels. We examined the reproducibility over time of measurements of urinary testosterone (T), 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol (ADIOL), estrone ( E1), estradiol ( E2), 2-hydroxy estrone and 2-hydroxy estradiol, (2(OH)-E), 16α-hydroxyestrone ($16\alpha ({\rm OH})\text{-}{\rm E}_{1}$) and the ratio of 2(OH)-E and$16\alpha ({\rm OH})\text{-}{\rm E}_{1}$in a representative sub-sample of post-menopausal women (n = 43) participating in an ongoing prospective cohort study. Women collected three first morning urine voids on different occasions, with average time difference between the first and the third urine sample of 5.1 years. T, ADIOL, E1and E2were measured by radio immunoassay after enzymatic hydrolysis, solid-phase extraction and HPLC purification of the samples, while 2(OH)-E and$16\alpha ({\rm OH})\text{-}{\rm E}_{1}$were assayed by solid-phase enzyme immunoassay after enzymatic hydrolysis. Intra-class correlation co-efficients (ICCs) over time were very good for T (r = 0.85), acceptable for${\rm E}_{2},\ {\rm E}_{1}$and ADIOL (r > 0.55), but low for 2(OH)-E,$16\alpha ({\rm OH})\text{-}{\rm E}_{1}$and their ratio (r < 0.46). The adjustment for creatinine concentrations did not increase these correlations.