title: The effect of hospitalization on the sleep pattern and on cortisol secretion of healthy elderly.
abstract: The aim of this study was to verify whether polysomnography represents a stressful situation by assessing cortisol levels and the sleep pattern of healthy community-living elderly admitted to a sleep disorder center (SDC). Subjects slept for two sequential nights at the SDC for polysomnographic recordings. Blood was sampled at 0800 h, 1600 h, and 2300 h and 24-h urine was collected for cortisol determination. Three months later, subjects were visited at home for blood and urinary collections. Cortisol levels were higher in the SDC than at home at 0800 h but were lower at 2300 h and similar at 1600 h. No differences were observed in urinary cortisol. Polysomnographic recordings indicated a poorer sleep pattern in the first night. Our data indicate that a short-term stay of healthy elderly in a SDC disrupts sleep pattern in the first of 2 nights, without representing a stressful experience, as evaluated by cortisol levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. ncn@medscape.com
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carvalhaes-Neto
authors.forename: Luiz R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suchecki
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tufik
authors.forename: Marta K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Huayllas
authors.forename: Claudio E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kater
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone