Starlit study 2 – a new test to measure your stress chemicals and we need your help testing it

We’ve created a new test to measure the stress chemicals in your body and we need your help testing it out! This test investigates whether an individual has adrenal insufficiency.

What is adrenal insufficiency? All of us need a special chemical called cortisol, a vital stress hormone which is made in a place in the body called the adrenal glands. Not having enough cortisol is called adrenal insufficiency and this can look like fatigue, weakness and low blood pressure. The current way of testing for adrenal insufficiency requires hospital attendance, an injection and blood tests.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Children’s have been busy developing a needle-free test.

Introducing Starlit study 2 – imagine a nasal spray instead of an injection and a saliva alternative to a blood test. As part of this study, we need to demonstrate that our new test using a nasal spray works as effectively as the current way of testing. To do this we are asking volunteers to visit us four times either at Sheffield Children’s if you’re a child or the Hallamshire if you’re an adult, to receive either a drug or a placebo (A placebo drug is like a “fake” medicine. It looks like a real pill or treatment, but it doesn’t actually have any active ingredients) as part of the study.

We’re looking for healthy children or adults, aged between four and 69 years old to take part in helping shape the future, could that be you?

If you’re interested in finding out more, please contact our Research Team at scn-tr.starlit.study@nhs.net and 07385009328.