Overview
Cortisol is the primary adrenal glucocorticoid measured by immunoassay or mass spectrometry.
Clinical Importance
Evaluate adrenal insufficiency or Cushing pathways with properly timed/dynamic protocols
Specimen Requirements
- Specimen: serum or lithium heparin plasma (method- and analyzer-dependent; follow the performing laboratory)
- Tube: gold/SST (serum separator) or green-top lithium heparin as validated locally
- Handling: invert gently; allow SST to clot fully before centrifugation; separate promptly
- Storage: refrigerate serum/plasma if testing is delayed per analyte stability limits
- Stability: analyte-specific; do not exceed institutional or manufacturer time/temperature limits
- Timing: record clock time; morning (≈08:00) values are commonly used in screening protocols
Analytical Method
Immunoassay or LC-MS/MS (reference preference for accuracy in complex cases).
Instruments Used
Automated analyzers
- Roche Cobas chemistry and immunoassay systems
- Abbott Alinity / Architect chemistry and immunoassay systems
- Siemens Healthineers Atellica / ADVIA chemistry and immunoassay systems
- Beckman Coulter AU / DxC chemistry systems
- Beckman Coulter Access / DxI immunoassay systems
- Mindray BS-series chemistry analyzers
- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Vitros systems
- Thermo Fisher / Indiko and related chemistry platforms
- Randox clinical chemistry systems
Manual methods
- Manual EIA/RIA in selected reference settings
Reference Values
Typical adult SI examples below follow widely published international clinical chemistry practice (e.g., Tietz; Henry's). Always interpret against the method- and demographics-specific interval printed on the patient report (CLSI EP28-A3c). Neonatal, pediatric, pregnancy, and assay-generation intervals differ.
Strongly time-dependent. Morning serum cortisol intervals are method-specific (often roughly 150–600 nmol/L / 5–22 µg/dL). Late-night and stimulation/suppression cutoffs are protocol-specific.
Interpretation
Critical and significant-risk limits are institution-defined (CLSI GP47). Confirm the local call list. Textbook examples are not universal thresholds.
Critical values
- Suspected adrenal crisis is clinical; laboratory supports but does not delay treatment
Common Causes of Increased Results
- High cortisol; stress, Cushing pathways, or assay cross-reactivity
Common Causes of Decreased Results
- Low morning cortisol raises concern for adrenal insufficiency; confirm with ACTH stim per protocol
Clinical Significance
- Adrenal axis laboratory protocols
Factors Affecting Results
Pre-analytical
- Wrong draw time
- Exogenous steroids / cross-reactive steroids (assay-dependent)
Analytical
- Calibration/QC failure; reagent lot shifts
- Carryover or substrate depletion on high-throughput analyzers
- Assay-specific interference (heterophile antibodies for immunoassays)
- Heterophile antibodies, biotin interference (assay-dependent), macro-analytes
Post-analytical
- Interpreting a random cortisol as a definitive Cushing diagnosis
Advantages and Limitations
Advantages
- Accessible first adrenal steroid
Limitations
- Diurnal variation; immunoassay cross-reactivity
Clinical Pearls
A cortisol without a time stamp is a laboratory rumor; not a result.
References
Authoritative textbooks, guidelines, and reviews supporting this laboratory test reference. Verify reference intervals, critical limits, and method details against institutional protocols and current guideline editions.
Textbooks
- Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2022.
- McPherson RA, Pincus MR. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
- Bishop ML, Fody EP, Schoeff LE. Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Techniques, and Correlations. 9th ed. Jones & Bartlett; 2022.
CLSI and Professional Guidelines
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). Recommendations and reference measurement systems for clinical chemistry measurands (verify current IFCC documents for the analyte).
- Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Defining, Establishing, and Verifying Reference Intervals in the Clinical Laboratory; Approved Standard. CLSI document EP28-A3c. CLSI; 2010.
- Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Collection of Diagnostic Venous Blood Specimens. CLSI standard GP41. CLSI.
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care (annual update).
- Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease.
- American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Practice guidance related to evaluation of abnormal liver chemistries / liver disease laboratory evaluation (verify current AASLD publication and institutional adoption).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about using this Cortisol laboratory test Medical Laboratory Library reference in Medical Laboratory Science education.
What is the Cortisol laboratory test reference used for?
This Medical Laboratory Library page summarizes the clinical importance of Cortisol. Review the Clinical Importance section for why the test is ordered in laboratory medicine practice.
Where can I find Cortisol specimen requirements?
See the Specimen Requirements section on this page for specimen information related to Cortisol. Confirm collection details against your laboratory protocol.
Where are Cortisol reference values listed?
See the Reference Values section on this Laboratory Library page. Reference ranges can vary by method and population, so verify intervals with your laboratory.
How do I interpret Cortisol results?
Use the Interpretation section for laboratory interpretation framing, including increased and decreased result patterns when provided. Do not treat educational text as a patient-specific diagnosis.
What analytical method is used for Cortisol?
See the Analytical Method section for principle and method notes. Method details may differ by instrument and institutional SOP.
Are related laboratory tests linked from Cortisol?
Yes. The Related Laboratory Tests section lists connected references for continued lookup in the Medical Laboratory Library.
How can I continue learning after reading Cortisol?
Use Continue learning links on this page for related Academy lessons, medical laboratory quizzes, or laboratory case studies when available for this Clinical Chemistry topic.
What are the clinical pearls for Cortisol?
See the Clinical Pearls section for concise laboratory practice notes associated with Cortisol. Apply pearls alongside institutional protocols.
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