Kornelsen Emily, Buchan M Claire, Gonzalez Andrea, Ferro Mark A
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks). 2019 Sep 9;3:2470547019875116. doi: 10.1177/2470547019875116. eCollection 2019 Jan-Dec.
To examine changes in hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in children with chronic physical illness and identify patterns of association between HCC and mental comorbidity.
A sample of 50 children aged 6 to 16 years were recruited within six months of being diagnosed with a chronic physical illness. Data were collected via hair samples, structured interviews, and behavioral checklists.
There was no change in HCC over six months. Baseline HCC was associated with internalizing-odds ratio (OR) = 1.29 (90% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.66)-and externalizing disorders-OR = 1.32 (90% CI: 1.07-1.64). Externalizing disorder at six months was associated with elevated baseline-OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02-1.53)-and six-month HCC-OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02-1.54). Associations between HCC and mental disorder weakened over time, and for internalizing disorders, changed direction (i.e., inverse association), albeit not significantly.
Results provide preliminary evidence that physiological stress, measured using HCC, may be implicated in the relationship between physical and mental illness, and these associations align with attenuated stress responses over time.
研究患有慢性躯体疾病儿童的头发皮质醇浓度（HCC）变化，并确定HCC与精神共病之间的关联模式。
在50名6至16岁被诊断患有慢性躯体疾病的儿童确诊后的6个月内招募样本。通过头发样本、结构化访谈和行为清单收集数据。
6个月内HCC无变化。基线HCC与内化障碍（优势比（OR）=1.29，90%置信区间（CI）：1.01-1.66）和外化障碍（OR=1.32，90%CI：1.07-1.64）相关。6个月时的外化障碍与基线升高（OR=1.25，90%CI：1.02-1.53）和6个月时的HCC升高（OR=1.25，90%CI：1.02-1.54）相关。HCC与精神障碍之间的关联随时间减弱，对于内化障碍，关联方向发生改变（即反向关联），尽管不显著。
结果提供了初步证据，表明使用HCC测量的生理应激可能与身心疾病之间的关系有关，并且这些关联与随时间减弱的应激反应一致。
