What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore the role of salivary cortisone in clarifying discordant late-night salivary cortisol results.

February 22, 2026

Unravelling discordant late-night salivary cortisol: a case highlighting the utility of salivary cortisone

Key Points

To explore the role of salivary cortisone in clarifying discordant late-night salivary cortisol results.
Analysis of late-night salivary cortisol levels
Comparison with salivary cortisone levels
Identification of discordant results in diagnosis
Demonstrated occurrence of false positives for late-night salivary cortisol
Salivary cortisone could provide a better index of glucocorticoid exposure
Findings suggest improved diagnostic accuracy in cases of suspected Cushing's syndrome.

Abstract

Background: Late-night salivary cortisol (LNSC) is widely used to screen for Cushing’s syndrome, but false positives can occur. Paired salivary cortisone, generated via 11β-HSD2 in salivary glands, may offer a more robust index of endogenous glucocorticoid exposure and help explain discordant results.

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Cite This Study

Yau et al. (Sun,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/699a534bfdaf4e3c1268eeae https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pathol.2026.01.185

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