ECE2024 Eposter Presentations Adrenal and Cardiovascular Endocrinology (155 abstracts)
1Laboratory of Biochemistry, Hédi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia; 2Endocrinology departement, Hedi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisie
Introduction: Cortisol level measurement is required in the diagnosis and management of adrenal, pituitary and hypothalamic pathologies.
Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicians practice in ordering cortisol test.
Methods: A retrospective study concerning 63 cortisol requests data collected by the laboratory computer system (Health Lab) between January 2024 and February 2024. Only requests of 0800 hours plasma cortisol were included. We collected age, sex and orderings origins. Cortisol tests were performed based on electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (eCLIA) by Dxi600® Beckman Coulter. Frequencies of cortisol requests were classified according to the reasons and origins of ordering.
Results: The mean age of patients was 38.8 years, with extremes ranging from 6 months to 85 years with a male/female sex ratio of 0,8. The majority of cortisol requests were from the endocrinology department (54%) followed by the paediatrics department (17.5%) and the internal medicine department (14.3%). Reasons for prescribing a cortisol test were as follows: 66.7% for suspecting of adrenal insufficiency, 4.8% for following-up of a confirmed adrenal tumour and 7.9% for following-up of pituitary and hypothalamic pathologies. Among cortisol requests 11.1% were not renseigned. Among cortisol test requests with clinical indications of suspecting adrenal insufficiency, following-up adrenal insufficiency and following-up of pituitary and hypothalamic pathologies only 31%, 25% and 40% were pathological respectively.
Conclusion: There was an over-ordering for cortisol tests in our hospital practice. This suggests this request should be more rational in order to limit healthcare costs