title: Exhaustion measured by the SF-36 vitality scale is associated with a flattened diurnal cortisol profile.
abstract: The possible association between stress-related exhaustion and reduced activity in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is increasingly in focus. The aim of the present study was to examine whether exhaustion measured in a non-patient population is associated with alterations in diurnal cortisol profile. The study population included 78 working individuals. The study group was dichotomised into exhausted and non-exhausted groups by means of the SF-36 vitality scale. Salivary cortisol was measured at three times during 1 workday: at awakening, 30min after awakening, and in the evening. The results showed that diurnal cortisol variation was significantly reduced in exhausted individuals. The difference in cortisol variation was mainly due to lowered morning cortisol in the exhausted group. Differences in cortisol levels at each sampling time or in mean diurnal output of cortisol were not statistically significant. The results would support the notion that exhaustion is associated with HPA axis hypoactivity as assessed by salivary cortisol. Furthermore, the SF-36 vitality provides a measure of exhaustion that may be useful in epidemiological studies in order to explore long-term health effects of stress-related exhaustion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden. sara.lindeberg@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Sara I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lindeberg
authors.forename: Frida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eek
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lindbladh
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ostergren
authors.forename: Ase Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karlson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone