Cortisol
Test Mnemonic
COR
CPT Codes
- 82533 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
2143-6
Performing Laboratory
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
FDA Category
In Vitro Diagnostic
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Plasma | Lithium heparin PST (Lt. Green) | Refrigerated | Indicate collection time on specimen. |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | |||
| 1 mL | Plasma | EDTA (Lavender) | Centrifuge, aliquot and refrigerate. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | 4 days |
| Frozen | 12 months |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
24 hours
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Electro Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) |
Reference Range
| Cortisol | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Normal | Morning hours 6:00 to 10:00 am: 4.8-19.5 | ug/dL | Normal | Afternoon hours 4:00 to 8:00 pm: 2.5-11.9 | ug/dL |
Special Info
Patients taking a biotin dose of up to 5 mg/day should refrain from taking biotin for 4 hours prior to sample collection. Patients taking a biotin dose of 5 to 10 mg/day should refrain from taking biotin for 8 hours prior to sample collection. Patients taking a biotin dose > 10 mg/day should consult with their physician or the laboratory prior to having a sample taken. Clinicians should consider biotin interference as a source of error, when clinically suspicious of the laboratory result.
Clinical Info
Diagnosis of adrenal disorders
Clinical Limitation
During metyrapon tests, 11 deoxycortisol levels are elevated. Falsely elevated cortisol values may be determined due to cross reactions. In samples from patients who have been treated with prednisolone, 6-alpha-Methylprednisolone or prednisone, falsely elevated concentrations of cortisol may be determined.