Cortisol, Saliva
Test Mnemonic
SCORT
CPT Codes
- 82533 - QTY (1)
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entire collection | Saliva | Swab | Refrigerated | Transfer saturated swab to plain (non-citric acid) cotton Salivette® collection device (ARUP Supply #52056). Swab must be completely saturated to ensure sufficient volume for testing. Record collection time on container and requisition. Patient Preparation: Do not collect specimen within 60 minutes after eating a meal, within 12 hours after consuming alcohol, immediately after brushing teeth or after any activity that may cause gums to bleed. Rinse mouth thoroughly with water 10 minutes before collecting specimen. Recommended collection time is between 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | 3 weeks |
| Ambient | 1 week |
| Frozen | 6 months |
Days Performed
Mon, Wed, Fri
Turnaround Time
2 - 5 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) |
Reference Range
Special Info
Patient Preparation: Do not collect specimen within 60 minutes after eating a meal, within 12 hours after consuming alcohol, immediately after brushing teeth or after any activity that may cause gums to bleed. Rinse mouth thoroughly with water 10 minutes before collecting specimen. Recommended collection time is between 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Specimens not collected using the Salivette® collection device, and specimens visibly contaminated with blood, cellular debris, food particles, or mucus are not acceptable. Specimens with pH values > 9.0 or < 3.5 must be recollected. Sodium azide preservative is unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Rule out Cushing syndrome. Screen for thymic and bronchial carcinoid tumors. For a collection at 11 p.m., the normal cortisol concentration is less than 0.112 µg/dL. Patients with Cushing's Syndrome have concentrations of 0.112 µg/dL or greater.
Clinical Limitation
Bovine hormones normally present in dairy products can cross-react with anti-cortisol antibodies and cause false results. Acidic or high sugar foods can compromise assay performance by lowering sample pH and influencing bacterial growth.