Hi Jan,

For androstenedione, doctors will generally accept levels that are modestly (~25%) above normal. "Normal" in an adult is between ~70-200 ng/dl, so if you add 25% to those numbers, that will give you an idea of "acceptable" ranges, for someone with CAH.

For 17-ohp, the leeway is a bit more liberal. "Normal" levels in a non-CAH population are indicated in Kerry’s post. For someone with CAH, many doctors seem okay with numbers up to ~500-1200 ng/dl.

As far as renin: I’ve heard the same thing as Kerry...that ranges can vary so widely from lab to lab, that you really have to go by the normal values established for each lab. I know it seems weird that there isn’t one universal standard, but sometimes "normal" is simply established by where most people fall underneath the bell curve. Not very satifsfying, I know, but apparently that is how it is sometimes done.

There is a good article in the CARES archives on monitoring CAH. It is written by Dr. Scott Rivkees, one of the authors of CAH: A Parents’ Guide,and will tell you why the different hormones are measured and what "acceptable" levels are. I don’t remember exactly which old issue of the CARES newsletter it was in, but if you follow the links on the CARES website and click on "Monitoring," you should be able to find it.

Hope this helps!

Also, to Kerry: "Androstenedione" is a precursor of testosterone. It is measured to help assess the level of androgen over-production, in someone with CAH.