Wallach's Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Pathways to Arriving at a Clinical Diagnosis (696 page)

   Pancreatic cancer

   Myeloma and light chain disease

Decreased In

   Macroamylasemia

   Limitations

   Macroamylasemia is characterized by high serum amylase but normal urine amylase. The ALCR remains useful for the diagnosis of macroamylasemia. In macroamylasemia, the clearance is very low.

ANDROSTENEDIONE, SERUM

   Definition

   Androstenedione, also known as 4-androstenedione, is a 19-carbon steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands and the gonads (testes as well as ovaries) as an intermediate step in the biochemical pathway that produces the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol. It is a major adrenal androgen in serum.

   
Normal range:
0.0–4.4 ng/mL (see Table 16.4).

TABLE 16–4. Normal Ranges for Serum Androstenedione

   Use

   Diagnosis of virilism and hirsutism

   Suspicion of anabolic steroid abuse

   Interpretation