[Circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion in diabetes mellitus patients].

The circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion was studied in 46 patients with diabetes mellitus. According to the complex criteria the rhythm was lost in 41 per cent of the examined. The rhythm changes do not depend on sex, blood sugar level, type of diabetes, vascular degenerative complications. A tendency was observed of reduction of the difference between the morning and evening cortisolemia with the advancement of the disease. The results obtained suggest a disorder in the functional integrity between hypothalamus and hypophyseal-suprarenal axis in a considerable part of the diabetics.