title: [Change of serum ACTH and cortisol levels in Alzheimer disease and mild cognition impairment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the response of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in the patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and those with mild cognition impairment (MCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The AD or MCI patients at our department from July 5, 2007 to August 31, 2009 were enrolled. The levels of 8am serum ACTH and cortisol were measured by chemiluminescence in 54 AD patients, 41 MCI patients and 42 age-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum ACTH values in 3 groups were (16 ± 5), (16 ± 5) and (17 ± 4) ng/L respectively. The serum ACTH values had insignificant changes in 3 groups (P > 0.05). The serum cortisol values were (595 ± 58), (568 ± 70) and (410 ± 81) nmol/L in 3 groups respectively. And the serum cortisol values significantly increased in AD and MCI groups (P < 0.01). The levels of serum cortisol in MCI group were lower than those in AD group. But there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Through an analysis of rank correlation, the severity of AD had a positive correlation with serum concentration of cortisol (P < 0.05); there was a negative correlation between the serum level of cortisol and the scores of MMSE in AD patients (P < 0.05). There was no significant change of serum level of cortisol for different genders in 3 groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of serum ACTH has no significant change. A high level of serum cortisol is observed in AD and MCI groups. There is a positive correlation between serum level of cortisol and the severity of AD and a negative correlation between serum level of cortisol and the scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tianhe District Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou 510660, China. jiangping200393@sina.com
authors.forename: Jian-kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone