Stress hormone stability: processing of blood samples collected during parabolic flight. A pre-flight comparison of different protocols.
OBJECTIVE
Compare different protocols for blood processing to be used during parabolic flights.


METHODS
Measurement of cortisol (COR), prolactin (PRL), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NOR) concentrations stored at different temperatures and intervals before analysis.


RESULTS
COR, PRL and NOR showed no changes in concentration between analysis protocols. ACTH dropped by 60% when not analysed within 24 h.


CONCLUSIONS
A standardised processing protocol that includes a 4-h delay following blood collection is suitable for the assessment of serum stress hormone concentrations.
Schneider
Stefan
S
Institute of Motor Control and Movement Technique, Department of Exercise Neuroscience, German Sport University Cologne, 50933 Köln, Germany. schneider@dshs-koeln.de
Brümmer
Vera
V
Carnahan
Heather
H
Dubrowski
Adam
A
Askew
Christopher D
CD
Strüder
Heiko K
HK
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D018489:Space Motion Sickness / Q000097:blood; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014893:Weightlessness
D006728:Hormones; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine