Increased cortisol bioavailability, abdominal obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in obese women.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to obtain a detailed profile of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and reactivity and its differential relationships with body fat distribution and total fat mass in premenopausal obese women.


METHODS
Cortisol responses to stimulation (awakening, food intake, exercise) and suppression (0.25 mg dexamethasone), cortisol metabolism, and tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids were studied in 53 premenopausal obese women grouped according to their waist-to hip ratio: women with abdominal body fat distribution (A-BFD; n = 31) and women with peripheral fat distribution (P-BFD; n = 22).


RESULTS
Comparatively, A-BFD women had 1) lower awakening salivary cortisol levels; 2) increased salivary responsiveness to a standardized lunch; 3) similar pituitary sensitivity to dexamethasone but decreased sensitivity of monocytes to dexamethasone; 4) similar 24-hour urinary free cortisol but increased 24-hour urinary ratio of cortisone-to-cortisol; and 5) no difference in corticosteroid binding protein parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Although abdominal obesity is not very different from generalized obesity in terms of HPA function, subtle variations in HPA axis activity and reactivity are evidenced in A-BFD premenopausal obese women.
Duclos
Martine
M
Laboratoire Neurogénétique et Stress, INSERM U471, Institut François Magendie, Université Bordeaux II, rue C. Saint Saëns, 33077 Bordeaux Cedex, France. duclos@pop.bordeaux.inserm.fr
Marquez Pereira
Patricia
P
Barat
Pascal
P
Gatta
Blandin
B
Roger
Patrick
P
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017697:Premenopause; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone