Measuring steroids in hair opens up possibilities to identify congenital adrenal hyperplasia in developing countries.

Objective: Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in developing countries have limited access to appropriate laboratory facilities for diagnosis and follow-up. The aim of this study is to evaluate steroid measurement in hair as a diagnostic tool to identify and monitor CAH in these patients.

Design: A method was developed to measure steroids in hair, the stability of steroids in hair was assessed, and the concentration range in healthy volunteers was determined.