biostudies-literatureLiu YNatural Science Foundation of Hubei ProvinceGuangxi Innovation-Driven Development ProjectMajor Project of Scientific Research and Technology Journal of Development Plan of NanningNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaGuangxi Key Research and Development ProgramNatural Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region146-154https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12915376biostudies-literatureUnknown46(2)<h4>Background</h4>Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications.<h4>Methods</h4>A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18-45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were Annals of laboratory medicineDevelopment and Validation of a High-performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Detecting Adrenocortical Hormones and Establishment of Age-stratified Reference Intervals in Reproductive-aged Women from Guangxi, China.PMC12915376AA181180168227080682460851GuikeAA223982022102382460160GuikeAA224122020GXNSFDA2970242021JJA1409122024AFB776GuikeAB211960222024GXNFSBA010192AB22035080Deng SJiang JLi JJin TQin XWang GYe YWei YWu FHuang PJiang YLiu YZheng JHuang SLong YMo ZNong YYan BfalseDevelopment and Validation of a High-performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Detecting Adrenocortical Hormones and Establishment of Age-stratified Reference Intervals in Reproductive-aged Women from Guangxi, China.<h4>Background</h4>Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications.<h4>Methods</h4>A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18-45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Mar2026-07-16T06:58:37.189Z2026-07-09T10:41:28.215ZS-EPMC129153764098761210.3343/alm.2025.0090