Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation test, the standard test for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency, requires clinic attendance and serum sampling. Salivary cortisone sampling, however, is advantageous over serum sampling due to its stability at room temperature, ability to better reflect free serum cortisol, and ease of at-home collection. To leverage these benefits, a UK-based study assessed the relationship between waking salivary cortisone and the 30-minute serum cortisol on an ACTH stimulation test in 220 patients at high risk of adrenal insufficiency.
Patients produced saliva samples in the morning and then attended an ACTH stimulation test at the clinic. In 70% of participants , at-home waking salivary cortisone data matched ACTH stimulation test results, proving its at-par accuracy with the current standard test. 83% of patients preferred home salivary collection over clinic…
