title: Cortisol in urine and saliva: relations to the intima media thickness, IMT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to analyse the relations between excretion of cortisol in urine and saliva and the intima media thickness (IMT) of the artery carotis communis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, 121 healthy participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire. Additionally, three samples of urine and four samples of saliva were collected in the 24 h before the examination, which included an ultrasound examination of the artery carotis communis, measuring height, weight, hip and waist width, blood pressure after 10 min of rest, and analysis of blood samples for cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and HbA(1c). The highest average of three measurements of IMT immediately before cartosis bulbous from either left or right side was used in the analyses as the dependent variable IMT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Values of cortisol in urine adjusted for creatinine were not related to IMT, but the level of salivary cortisol 1 h after awakening and the reactivity in salivary cortisol the first hour after awakening were significantly associated with IMT in women i.e. high cortisol was associated with low IMT. This result remained significant in multiple regression analysis including age, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, HbA(1c), and alcohol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reactivity in salivary cortisol the first hour in the morning might be used in research relating to stress, hormonal changes and early atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Occupational Medicine, Hillerød Hospital, Helsevej 2-4, DK-3400, Hillerød, Denmark. nael@fa.dk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hurwitz Eller
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Netterstrøm
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone