Long-term storage of salivary cortisol samples at room temperature

• Published in: Clinical chemistry (Baltimore, Md.) Vol. 38; no. 2, 19; p. 304
• Main Authors: Chen, Yu-Ming, Cintron, Nitza M., Whitson, Peggy A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Legacy CDMS American Association for Clinical Chemistry 01.02.1992
• Subjects: Analytical biochemistry: general aspects, technics, instrumentation; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Stability; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hydrocortisone - analysis; Life Sciences (General); Preservation, Biological; Saliva - chemistry; Space life sciences; Temperature; Sample conservation; Cortisol; Stability; Saliva; Room temperature; NASA Center JSC; NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology
• ISSN: 0009-9147; 1530-8561
• DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/38.2.304

Collection of saliva samples for the measurement of cortisol during space flights provides a simple technique for studying changes in adrenal function due microgravity. In the present work, several methods for preserving saliva cortisol at room temperature were investigated using radioimmunoassays for determining cortisol in saliva samples collected on a saliva-collection device called Salivettes. It was found that a pretreatment of Salivettes with citric acid resulted in preserving more than 85 percent of the salivary cortisol for as long as six weeks. The results correlated well with those for a sample stored in a freezer on an untreated Salivette.