title: Psychosocial factors associated with indices of cortisol production in women with breast cancer and controls.
abstract: The present study was designed to (i) explore which psychosocial factors were associated with indices representing the early morning peak, diurnal cortisol rhythm and area under the curve (AUC); (ii) examine whether the relationships between psychosocial functioning and these cortisol indices were consistent and (iii) explore whether these relationships were influenced by the clinical status of the participant. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients (n = 85) and healthy control women (n = 59) were recruited. State and trait measures of psychosocial functioning (i.e. anxiety, depression, distress, neuroticism, extraversion, marital satisfaction and mastery) were undertaken. In addition, all participants provided four saliva samples (on waking, 30 min later, between 11 and 1 p.m., before lunch and between 8 and 10 p.m., at least 2h after evening meal) over two consecutive days to assess cortisol levels. The results highlighted the divergent nature of the four cortisol indices; revealed the presence of some significant relationships between the psychosocial measures and the cortisol indices; but highlighted inconsistencies in the relationships evident for patients and those observed for control women.
authors.affiliation: MRC Health Services Research Collaboration, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2PR, UK. k.vedhara@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vedhara
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuinstra
authors.forename: Jolanda Tuin
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stra
authors.forename: Jeremy N V
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Robbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanderman
authors.forename: Adelita V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ranchor
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010507:Periodicity; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012944:Social Support; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone