title: Change in circadian cortisol rhythmicity in patients with intracranial tumour.
abstract: To verify the influence of intracranial expanding processes on circadian cortisol rhythm, we studied its occurrence in 10 normal subjects, in 5 patients with extrasellar tumour, and in 3 patients with intracranial haematoma. All patients were tested every 4 h. Cortisol was measured by RIA. A cosine function was fitted to the data by mean cosinor method to evidence any rhythm and its parameters. A significant circadian rhythm was detected in the normal subjects with acrophase at 07.55 (07.15-08.25). The patients with extrasellar tumour and those with intracranial haematoma showed a lack of circadian rhythmicity due to a significant increase of cortisol levels at 20.00 and at 00.00, respectively. Our results suggest that study of the cortisol rhythm is useful, especially when an extrasellar tumour is suspected.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006406:Hematoma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone