| Abstract [eng] |
Association Between Hair Cortisol Concentration and Traditional Atherosclerosis Risk Factors Background. Chronic stress induced excessive cortisol secretion is hypothesized to contribute to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Measurement of cortisol concentration in saliva, serum and urine provides information about its production of a period up to 24 h. However, long-term integrated hormone secretion can be assessed by measuring cortisol concentration in scalp hair. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and atherosclerosis risk factors. Objectives: to measure cortisol concentration in hair samples of healthy Lithuanian men; to evaluate the relationship between hair cortisol concentration and age, different anthropometric measurements, heart rate and arterial blood pressure values; to estimate the association between hair cortisol concentration and biochemical markers of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as inflammatory marker C-reactive protein; to assess the link between hair cortisol concentration and self-reported smoking habits and physical activity; to determine the association between hair cortisol concentration and subjectively perceived level of psychosocial stress; to evaluate the intercorrelations of cortisol levels in hair, saliva and blood serum. Materials and methods. Hair samples of 163 healthy men (aged 25–55 years) participating in the ATEROSTRES study were collected. HCC was measured in the proximal 3 cm of scalp hair, using high performance liquid chromatography with UV/Vis detection. Anthropometric, lifestyle parameters, lipid profile, glucose, CRP, serum and salivary cortisol levels were also assessed. Results. HCC was positively correlated with age (r = 0.254, p = 0.001), weight (r = 0.208, p = 0.008), BMI (r = 0.217, p = 0.005), waist circumference (r = 0.211, p = 0.007), mean arterial pressure (r = 0.359, p < 0.001), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.339, p < 0.001 and r = 0.320, p < 0.001, respectively). Hair cortisol levels were also positively associated with total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations (r = 0.234, p = 0.003 and r = 0.230, p = 0.003, respectively) in blood serum. No correlations were found between hair cortisol levels and glucose, hs-CRP, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides concentrations in the blood, smoking status or physical activity. No statistically significant cortisol concentration intercorrelations in different biological samples (i.e. hair, saliva, blood serum) were found. Additionally, hair cortisol concentration was associated with two components of psychosocial stress such as coping and emotional support(r = 0.169, p = 0.032 and r = 0.180, p = 0.023, respectively). Conclusions. Results indicate that higher hair cortisol concentration, suggested as a marker of chronic stress, might be associated with the major cardiovascular risk factors such as older age, abdominal obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The relationship between hair cortisol concentration and subjectively perceived level of psychosocial stress still needs to be investigated in future studies. |
