17-OH progesterone

Definition:

A test that measures the amount of 17-OH progesterone in serum (blood).

Alternative Names:

17-hydroxy progesterone; Progesterone - 17-OH

How the test is performed:

Adult or child:
Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The puncture site is cleaned with antiseptic, and a tourniquet (an elastic band) is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and restrict blood flow through the vein. This causes veins below the tourniquet to distend (fill with blood). A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. During the procedure, the tourniquet is removed to restore circulation. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding.

Infant or young child:
The area is cleansed with antiseptic and punctured with a sharp needle or a lancet. The blood may be collected in a pipette (small glass tube), on a slide, onto a test strip, or into a small container. Cotton or a bandage may be applied to the puncture site if there is any continued bleeding.

After the blood has been drawn, it is sent to a laboratory to be evaluated.

How to prepare for the test:

The health care provider will instruct you, if necessary, to discontinue drugs that may interfere with the test. These include corticosteroids and oral contraceptives. The health care provider may advise that the test be performed at a specific time of day, because this can affect the test results.

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experiences, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:

infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the test will feel:

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may some throbbing.

Why the test is performed:

This test is used primarily to identify patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). CAH is a rare genetic disorder that results from a deficiency of an enzyme that normally synthesizes cortisol in the adrenal gland. This deficiency results in the accumulation of precursor steroids such as 17-hydroxyprogesterone as well as abnormal levels of other steroid hormones, specifically increasing androgens and decreasing glucocorticoids.

Normal Values:

male: 3 to 32 ng/dL
female:

day 1 to 14 of menstrual cycle: 15 to 70 ng/dL
day 15 to end of menstrual cycle: 35 to 290 ng/dL

Note: ng/dL = nanograms per deciliter

What abnormal results mean:

Levels higher than 200 ng/dL may indicate CAH.

What the risks are:

excessive bleeding
fainting or feeling lightheaded
hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
multiple punctures to locate veins

Special considerations:

This test is sensitive to circadian rhythms (the natural peaks and lows that the body experiences during a day).

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Review Date: 8/10/2001
Reviewed By: Peter Chen, M.D., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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