Central Institute of Mental Health, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Eur J Endocrinol. 2010 Sep;163(3):443-51. doi: 10.1530/EJE-10-0491. Epub 2010 Jun 24.
Analysis of salivary cortisol concentrations and derived indices is increasingly used in clinical and scientific medicine. However, comprehensive data on these parameters in the general population are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of salivary cortisol in a large middle-aged community sample and to identify major factors associated with altered hormone levels.
We conducted a cross-sectional study within the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA)-F3 study. A total of 1484 participants aged 50-69 years (52% women) had agreed to provide four saliva samples during a regular weekday.
We measured salivary cortisol concentrations at wake-up (F0), (1/2) h (F(1/2)), 8 h (F8), and 14 h (F14) after waking. We calculated cortisol awakening response (CAR), slope, and area under the curve (AUC(G)) of the circadian cortisol secretion. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated by interview and questionnaires, sampling conditions by protocol. In total, 1208 participants returned saliva samples, exclusion criteria left 990 subjects for final analyses.
Salivary cortisol levels were (means+/-s.d.) F0=13.7+/-7.6, F(1/2)=20.5+/-9.8, F8=5.4+/-3.3, and F14=2.0+/-1.8 nmol/l. Earlier sampling times were associated with higher CAR and smaller slope. Cortisol secretion was also influenced by gender and smoking habits. Higher perceived social support was associated with lower AUC(G) and smaller slope.
We provide data on salivary cortisol concentrations in a large middle-aged community sample. Gender, sampling time, smoking habits, and perceived social support appeared as determinants of cortisol secretion.
唾液皮质醇浓度及其衍生指数的分析越来越多地应用于临床医学和科学研究。然而，关于这些参数在普通人群中的综合数据却很少。本研究的目的是评估大量中年社区样本中的唾液皮质醇浓度，并确定与激素水平改变相关的主要因素。
我们在奥格斯堡合作健康研究（KORA）-F3 研究中进行了一项横断面研究。共有 1484 名年龄在 50-69 岁的参与者（52%为女性）同意在一个正常工作日内提供 4 份唾液样本。
我们在醒来时（F0）、（1/2）小时后（F（1/2））、8 小时后（F8）和 14 小时后（F14）测量唾液皮质醇浓度。我们计算了皮质醇觉醒反应（CAR）、斜率和昼夜皮质醇分泌的曲线下面积（AUC（G））。通过访谈和问卷调查评估社会人口统计学和临床特征，通过方案评估采样条件。共有 1208 名参与者返回了唾液样本，排除标准后有 990 名参与者用于最终分析。
唾液皮质醇水平（平均值±标准差）为 F0=13.7±7.6、F（1/2）=20.5±9.8、F8=5.4±3.3 和 F14=2.0±1.8 nmol/l。较早的采样时间与更高的 CAR 和更小的斜率相关。皮质醇分泌还受性别和吸烟习惯的影响。更高的感知社会支持与更低的 AUC（G）和更小的斜率相关。
我们提供了大量中年社区样本中唾液皮质醇浓度的数据。性别、采样时间、吸烟习惯和感知社会支持似乎是皮质醇分泌的决定因素。
