Concentrations of Total and Free Dehydroepiandrosterone in Plasma and Dehydroepiandrosterone in Saliva of Normal and Hirsute Women under Basal Conditions and during Administration of Dexamethasone/Synthetic Corticotropin

Using a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay involving extraction with diethyl ether and chromatographic separation of steroids, we measured concentrations of salivary and plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in 22 women with normal ovulatory cycles (ages 18-45 years). Salivary DHEA values closely correlated with total and free DHEA in plasma. In the follicular phase the mean concentrations of salivary and plasma free DHEA were virtually equal [mean (SD): 0.61 (0.32) and 0.56 (0.34) nmol/L, respectively]. In the luteal phase, salivary OHEA slightly exceeded the plasma free DHEA [0.68 (0.40) vs 0.56 (0.38) nmol/L, P <0.01]. Also, dunng combined dexamethasone/synthetic corticotropin ad-ministration in 25 patients with androgenizing disorders and in 10 normal subjects (each in the follicular and luteal phases), the concentration of DHEA in saliva strongly corre