Specimen Requirements

Title

Cortisol (Hydrocortisone)

Specimen Requirement

Collect SST or plain red top/1mL serum. If a plain red top is used, centrifuge and transfer serum to a plastic transport tube.

 

 

AM, Total or Base line serum Cortisol must be drawn between 7am and 9am.

PM serum Cortisol must be drawn between 3pm and 5pm.

 

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA)

Stability

Room temp: 14 days, Refrigerated: 14 days, Frozen: 14 days

Reference Range

By Report*

Turnaround

2 days

Clinical Use

Establish the diagnosis of adrenocortical insufficiency, Addison’s disease, adrenocortical hypersecretion, Cushing’s syndrome. Malfunction of the organs in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis will result in alteration of the cortisol levels.

Test Code

CORTM