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Cortisol Values (cortisol + value)
Selected AbstractsAre cortisol profiles a stable trait during child development?AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2009Mark V. Flinn Exposure to stressful experiences can increase vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. A potential neuroendocrine mechanism mediating the link between stress and health is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system, with a key role attributed to the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol. Retrospective and cross sectional clinical studies of humans and experimental studies with nonhuman primates and rodents suggest that traumatic experiences during critical periods in development may have permanent effects on HPA regulation, which in turn can have deleterious effects on health. Here I report results from a continuous 20-year study (1988,2009) of children in a rural community on Dominica. Sequential data on cortisol levels, social stressors, and health in naturalistic, everyday conditions are examined to assess developmental trajectories of HPA functioning. Saliva aliquots were assayed for cortisol in concert with monitoring of growth, morbidity, and social environment. Analyses here include data from 1989 to 1999 for 147 children aged 3,16 years with >100 saliva samples each. Cortisol values were standardized by elapsed time since wake-up. Results do not support the hypothesis that traumatic stress during childhood causes permanent general elevation of cortisol levels. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ultrasonographic examination of the adrenal gland and evaluation of the hypophyseal-adrenal axis in 20 catsJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2000C. Zimmer The adrenal glands of 20 healthy, non-sedated cats were examined ultrasonographically; visualisation and assessment was possible in all cases. In comparison with the surrounding tissue, the adrenal glands were hypoecholc and two distinct zones could be differentiated In six of the cats. The length and width of the adrenal glands varied from 0.45 to 1.37 cm and 0.29 to 0.53 cm, respectively, and both dimensions could be reliably reproduced. The adrenal glands did not differ between male and female cats, and, in comparison to dogs, those of cats are more easily vlsualised ultrasonographically. The basal cortisol value ranged from 2.0 to 79 ,g/litre. Values 30 and 60 minutes after administration of ACTH (0.125 mg/cat intramuscularly) varied from 36 to 126 ,g/litre. The basal value of aldosterone ranged from 4 to 618 pg/ml. Values 30 and 60 minutes after administration of ACTH varied from 100 to 832 pg/ml. In all cats, suppression of the cortisol value below the level of detection (<2.0 pg/litre) occurred four and eight hours after the administration of dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg intravenously). [source] Baseline cortisol measures and developmental pathways of anxiety in early adolescenceACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2009K. Greaves-Lord Objective:, This study investigated whether baseline cortisol measures predicted future anxiety, and compared cortisol values of groups with different developmental pathways of anxiety. Method:, Cortisol levels were assessed in 1768 individuals (10,12 years). Anxiety levels were assessed at the same age and 2 years later. Results:, Cortisol measures did not predict future anxiety levels. Individuals with persistent anxiety problems did not show higher morning cortisol levels than those with persistently low, decreasing, or increasing anxiety levels. Instead, individuals with persistently high anxiety levels showed significantly lower evening cortisol levels than all other individuals. Further, participants with increasing anxiety levels showed higher morning cortisol levels (area under the curve; AUC) than individuals with persistently low anxiety levels. Conclusion:, The extent to which the HPA-axis , by itself , plays a role in the aetiology of anxiety is questionable. Interactions of the HPA-axis with other biological or environmental factors may be more important. [source] Influence of estradiol on cortisol secretion in ovariectomized cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003R.C. Stavisky Abstract In an investigation of cortisol secretion in fully mature, ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), we compared monkeys that were given either placebo (OVX, n = 26) or 17, estradiol (E2 ) (EST, n = 26) in a daily oral dose. Serum cortisol concentrations were measured prior to the experimental manipulation and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following initiation of treatment. Pretreatment cortisol values did not differ between groups. Assessment of the treatment period values revealed that cortisol concentrations were significantly higher (,10%) in the EST than in the OVX monkeys. Cortisol also varied significantly across periods of sampling. This time-dependent variation was attributable to elevations in months 6 and 9 (when daylight was generally long), relative to months 3 and 12 (when daylight was relatively short). The modest stimulatory effect of estrogen on corticosteroid production observed in this study is consistent with what has been seen in women, and contrasts with the more robust effects observed in New World monkeys. The possible relationship between season and cortisol secretion observed here has not been previously described in monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 60:17,22, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparing cortisol, stress, and sensory sensitivity in children with autismAUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Blythe A. Corbett Abstract Previously we reported that children with autism show significant variability in cortisol. The current investigation was designed to extend these findings by exploring plausible relationships between cortisol and psychological measures of stress and sensory functioning. Salivary cortisol values for diurnal rhythms and response to stress in children with and without autism were compared to parent-report measures of child stress, the Stress Survey Schedule (SSS), sensory functioning, Short Sensory Profile (SSP), and Parenting Stress Index. In autism, a negative relationship between morning cortisol and the SSS revealed that higher observed symptoms of stress were related to lower cortisol. Lower cortisol is seen in conditions of chronic stress and in social situations characterized by unstable social relationships. Sensory sensitivity painted a more complicated picture, in that some aspects of SSP were associated with higher while others were associated with lower cortisol. We propose that increased sensory sensitivity may enhance the autistic child's susceptibility to the influence of zeitgeibers reflected in variable cortisol secretion. Evening cortisol was positively associated with SSS such that the higher the level of evening cortisol, the higher the child's parent-reported daily stress, especially to changes, such as in daily routine. Regarding the response to stress, the psychological and parent variables did not differentiate the groups; rather, discrete subgroups of cortisol responders and nonresponders were revealed in both the autism and neurotypical children. The results support a complex interplay between physiological and behavioral stress and sensory sensitivity in autism and plausible developmental factors influencing stress reactivity across the groups. [source] Profile, mean residence time of ACTH and cortisol responses after low and standard ACTH tests in healthy volunteersCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 3 2006P. Alía Objective, No consensus exists until now about the suitable dose of tetracosactin in the ACTH stimulation test for detecting adrenal insufficiency. Our aim was to characterize both the ACTH(1,24) and the cortisol profiles after standard high-dose test (250 µg) (HDT) and low-dose test (1 µg) (LDT) in healthy subjects in order to provide a deeper knowledge about the relationship between stimulus and response. Design and patients, ACTH tests were performed in 10 healthy volunteers (five men, five women) with at least 1 week of difference. Measurements, Plasma ACTH(1,24) and ACTH(1,39) and serum cortisol were measured before tetracosactin i.v. injection and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 min after stimulus. Area under the curve (AUC) of ACTH(1,24) and cortisol, as well as mean residence time (MRT) for ACTH(1,24) were calculated in both tests. Results, Elimination of ACTH(1,24) was faster in HDT than in LDT (MRTs of 0·14 vs 0·37, respectively, P = 0·008), but plasma concentrations were higher up to 60 min cortisol production in HDT reaching a higher maximum concentration (Cmax: 1144 vs 960 nmol/l) but delayed in time (75 vs 52·5 min). No significant relationship was observed between AUC or Cmax of ACTH(1,24) and AUC, Cmax and increment of cortisol in any of the tests. However, a negative correlation of basal cortisol values was observed with relative cortisol increment (HDT: r = 0·77 P = 0·009; LDT: r = 0·94 P < 0·0001), but not so with Cmax (HDT: r = 0·22 P = 0·55; LDT: r = 0·57 P = 0·09). Conclusions, The elimination rate of ACTH in healthy volunteers was significantly lower in LDT than in HDT, but cortisol production rate appears to be identical in both tests, so that a maximum adrenal stimulation seems to exist. The use of LDT may be more adequate, although data from patients need studying. [source] Long-term remission rates after pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease: the need for long-term surveillanceCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 5 2005A. Brew Atkinson Summary Objective, There have been a few reports on long-term remission rates after apparent early remission following pituitary surgery in the management of Cushing's disease. An undetectable postoperative serum cortisol has been regarded as the result most likely to predict long-term remission. Our objective was to assess the relapse rates in patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery in order to determine whether undetectable cortisol following surgery was predictive of long-term remission and whether it was possible to have long-term remission when early morning cortisol was measurable but not grossly elevated. Endocrinological factors associated with late relapse were also studied. Patients, We reviewed the long-term outcome in 63 patients who had pituitary surgery for the treatment of Cushing's disease between 1979 and 2000. Measurements, Case notes were reviewed and the current clinical and biochemical status assessed. Our usual practice was that early after the operation, an 08:00 h serum cortisol was measured 24 h after the last dose of hydrocortisone. This was followed by a formal low-dose dexamethasone suppression test. Current clinical status and recent 24-h urinary free cortisol values were used as an index of activity of the Cushing's disease. If there was evidence suggesting relapse, a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test was performed. In many patients, sequential collections of early morning urine specimens for urinary cortisol to creatinine ratio were also performed in an attempt to diagnose cyclical and intermittent forms of recurrent hypercortisolism. We did this if there was conflicting endocrine data, or if patients were slow to lose abnormal clinical features. Results, Mean age at diagnosis was 40·3 years (range 14,70 years). Mean follow-up up time was 9·6 years (range 1,21 years). Forty-five patients (9 males/36 females) achieved apparent remission immediately after surgery and were subsequently studied long term. Of these 45 patients, four have subsequently died while in remission from hypercortisolism. Ten of the remaining 41 patients have relapsed. Of those 10, six demonstrated definite cyclical cortisol secretion. Two of the 10 had undetectable basal serum cortisol levels in the immediate postoperative period. Thirty-one patients are still alive and in remission. Fourteen (45%) of the 31 who remained in remission had detectable serum cortisol levels (> 50 nmol/l) immediately postoperatively, and remain in remission after a mean of 8·8 years. Our relapse rate was therefore 10/45 (22%), after a mean follow-up time of 9·6 years, with mean time to relapse 5·3 years. Conclusions, The overall remission rate of 56% (35/63) at 9·6 years follow-up is disappointing and merits some re-appraisal of the widely accepted principle that pituitary surgery must be the initial treatment of choice in pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome. Following pituitary surgery, careful ongoing expert endocrine assessment is mandatory as the incidence of relapse increases with time and also with increasing rigour of the endocrine evaluation. A significant number of our patients were shown to have relapsed with a cyclical form of hypercortisolism. [source] | |||||||||||||