Hair Testing May Offer Insights into Asthma-Related Complications in Pregnancy
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 28 Jul 2015 |
In an oral poster presentation of the “Endocrinology in Preventive and Chronic Care” session at AACC 2015 (July 26-30; Atlanta, GA, USA), researchers presented and discussed results of a study suggesting that simple, noninvasive testing of hair samples may offer new insights into the relationship between asthma, levels of the stress-hormone cortisol, and related complications in pregnancy.
Currently, researchers would require frequent blood or saliva samples to measure and track cortisol levels during pregnancy. In addition to being time consuming, these measurements are difficult to interpret as they reflect only one point in time. Cortisol fluctuates during the day. Hair, on the other hand, stores cortisol levels over a long period of time. Each segment of about 1 cm offers a look back at what the levels were during a particular month.
To investigate whether hair samples could be used to assess effects of the chronic inflammatory lung disease asthma on cortisol levels during pregnancy, a research team led by Gideon Koren, MD, University of Toronto (Canada), and Bruce Carleton, PharmD, University of British Columbia (Canada), tested for cortisol in hair samples from 93 pregnant women, of whom 62 had asthma and 31 did not. About half the women with asthma were being treated with inhaled corticosteroids.
“For both the control and the asthma groups we could see a rise in cortisol over the course of the pregnancy and then a decline during the postpartum period,” said study coauthor Laura Smy, PhD student, University of Toronto (Canada). This finding supports the use of hair samples as a tool for assessing cortisol levels during pregnancy.
The study also made an unanticipated finding, however. “For the individuals with asthma, whether or not they were using inhaled corticosteroids, their response to the cortisol increase was dampened,” said Smy, “They had significantly lower hair cortisol levels during both their 2nd and 3rd trimesters than the women in the control group.” The finding suggests that levels of cortisol tend to be lower among pregnant women with asthma. This may be due to “adrenal fatigue”—prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels that eventually causes the adrenal glands to significantly reduce their output of the hormone.
While research has established that high cortisol levels are associated with an elevated risk of miscarriage and premature birth, some increase during pregnancy may have a beneficial effect. Indeed, research suggests that higher cortisol levels late in pregnancy are needed for fetal organs to mature, especially the lungs, thyroid, and digestive tract. The new study offers a simpler tool that could help scientists unravel this complicated relationship and determine if and how cortisol is linked to pregnancy outcomes.
“We hope hair samples will help establish the role that changes in cortisol levels throughout pregnancy have on the health of women and their children,” said Smy. Future research will be needed to both confirm this study’s findings and to determine the role that changes in cortisol during pregnancy may have on pregnancy outcomes and fetal wellbeing.
Related Links:
American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC)
AACC 2015 Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
Currently, researchers would require frequent blood or saliva samples to measure and track cortisol levels during pregnancy. In addition to being time consuming, these measurements are difficult to interpret as they reflect only one point in time. Cortisol fluctuates during the day. Hair, on the other hand, stores cortisol levels over a long period of time. Each segment of about 1 cm offers a look back at what the levels were during a particular month.
To investigate whether hair samples could be used to assess effects of the chronic inflammatory lung disease asthma on cortisol levels during pregnancy, a research team led by Gideon Koren, MD, University of Toronto (Canada), and Bruce Carleton, PharmD, University of British Columbia (Canada), tested for cortisol in hair samples from 93 pregnant women, of whom 62 had asthma and 31 did not. About half the women with asthma were being treated with inhaled corticosteroids.
“For both the control and the asthma groups we could see a rise in cortisol over the course of the pregnancy and then a decline during the postpartum period,” said study coauthor Laura Smy, PhD student, University of Toronto (Canada). This finding supports the use of hair samples as a tool for assessing cortisol levels during pregnancy.
The study also made an unanticipated finding, however. “For the individuals with asthma, whether or not they were using inhaled corticosteroids, their response to the cortisol increase was dampened,” said Smy, “They had significantly lower hair cortisol levels during both their 2nd and 3rd trimesters than the women in the control group.” The finding suggests that levels of cortisol tend to be lower among pregnant women with asthma. This may be due to “adrenal fatigue”—prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels that eventually causes the adrenal glands to significantly reduce their output of the hormone.
While research has established that high cortisol levels are associated with an elevated risk of miscarriage and premature birth, some increase during pregnancy may have a beneficial effect. Indeed, research suggests that higher cortisol levels late in pregnancy are needed for fetal organs to mature, especially the lungs, thyroid, and digestive tract. The new study offers a simpler tool that could help scientists unravel this complicated relationship and determine if and how cortisol is linked to pregnancy outcomes.
“We hope hair samples will help establish the role that changes in cortisol levels throughout pregnancy have on the health of women and their children,” said Smy. Future research will be needed to both confirm this study’s findings and to determine the role that changes in cortisol during pregnancy may have on pregnancy outcomes and fetal wellbeing.
Related Links:
American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC)
AACC 2015 Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
Latest AACC 2015 News
- Automated Molecular Diagnostics System Presented at AACC 2015
- Portable Molecular Diagnostics System Unveiled At 2015 AACC
- Expanded Steroid Control Launched at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Innovative New Technology to Provide Plastic-Exterior Components with Glass Interior, Presented at AACC 2015
- Eco-Friendly Immunoassay Reagents Featured at AACC 2015
- Low Cost Point-of-Care DNA Amplification Test for Chlamydia Infection Demonstrated at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Inexpensive Multipurpose Point-of-Care Analyzer Unveiled at 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- State-of-the-Art Automated Laboratory Systems Highlighted at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Siemens Showcases Multiple New IVD Solutions at AACC 2015
- New HPLC Quadruples Clinical Throughput Capabilities, Displayed at AACC 2015
- Diagnostic Test that Measures Active Renin in Hypertension Displayed at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Two Newly Developed Tests May Better Diabetes Diagnosis and Monitoring
- CE Marking of Theranostic Monitoring Test Announced at 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Ebola Rapid Lateral Flow Test Previewed at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- AACC: Better Quality and Patient-Friendliness Needed in Direct Testing
- Clinical Chemistry Instruments and Reagents Under Scrutiny at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
New Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Designed to Meet Growing Demands of Modern Labs
A new clinical chemistry analyzer is designed to provide outstanding performance and maximum efficiency, without compromising affordability, to meet the growing demands of modern laboratories.... Read more
New Reference Measurement Procedure Standardizes Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) play a key role in diagnosing a wide range of infectious diseases. These tests are generally known for their high sensitivity and specificity, and they can be developed... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
RNA-Seq Based Diagnostic Test Enhances Diagnostic Accuracy of Pediatric Leukemia
A new unique test is set to reshape the way Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) samples can be analyzed. Qlucore (Lund, Sweden) has launched the first CE-marked RNA-seq based diagnostic test for pediatric... Read more
New Technique for Measuring Acidic Glycan in Blood Simplifies Schizophrenia Diagnosis
Polysialic acid is a unique acidic glycan predominantly found in brain regions associated with memory and emotion, but it is also present in the bloodstream. Research has shown that blood levels of polysialic... Read moreHematology
view channel
Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results
Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more
First Point-of-Care Heparin Monitoring Test Provides Results in Under 15 Minutes
Heparin dosing requires careful management to avoid both bleeding and clotting complications. In high-risk situations like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mortality rates can reach about 50%,... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients
Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more
Liquid Biopsy Approach to Transform Diagnosis, Monitoring and Treatment of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer continues to be a major contributor to cancer-related deaths globally, with its biological complexity and diverse regulatory processes making diagnosis and treatment particularly difficult.... Read more
Computational Tool Exposes Hidden Cancer DNA Changes Influencing Treatment Resistance
Structural changes in tumor DNA are among the most damaging genetic alterations in cancer, yet they often go undetected, particularly when tissue samples are degraded or of low quality. These hidden genomic... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Viral Load Tests Can Help Predict Mpox Severity
Mpox is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and a characteristic rash, which evolves significantly over time and varies between patients. The disease spreads mainly through direct contact with... Read more
Gut Microbiota Analysis Enables Early and Non-Invasive Detection of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder marked by abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy, typically emerging in the mid to late stages. It significantly heightens the risk of... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Performs Virtual Tissue Staining at Super-Resolution
Conventional histopathology, essential for diagnosing various diseases, typically involves chemically staining tissue samples to reveal cellular structures under a microscope. This process, known as “histochemical... Read more
AI-Driven Preliminary Testing for Pancreatic Cancer Enhances Prognosis
Pancreatic cancer poses a major global health threat due to its high mortality rate, with 467,409 deaths and 510,992 new cases reported worldwide in 2022. Often referred to as the "king" of all cancers,... Read more
Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response
Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Clinical AI Solution for Automatic Breast Cancer Grading Improves Diagnostic Accuracy
Labs that use traditional image analysis methods often suffer from bottlenecks and delays. By digitizing their pathology practices, labs can streamline their work, allowing them to take on larger caseloads... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Inexpensive DNA Coated Electrode Paves Way for Disposable Diagnostics
Many people around the world still lack access to affordable, easy-to-use diagnostics for diseases like cancer, HIV, and influenza. Conventional sensors, while accurate, often rely on expensive equipment... Read more
New Miniature Device to Transform Testing of Blood Cancer Treatments
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking treatment for blood cancers like leukemia, offering hope to patients when other treatments fail. However, despite its promise,... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Lunit and Microsoft Collaborate to Advance AI-Driven Cancer Diagnosis
Lunit (Seoul, South Korea) and Microsoft (Redmond, WA, USA) have entered into a collaboration to accelerate the delivery of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered healthcare solutions. In conjunction with... Read more