title: Hair cortisol: A new tool for evaluating stress in programs of stress management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Longitudinal and experimental studies have shown that chronic stress contributes to the onset and progression of different diseases. Although it is not possible to eliminate stress completely, people can learn to manage it by participating in different kinds of stress management interventions. This study examined the effectiveness of stress management interventions on neuroendocrine responses in stressed students and health professionals, by measuring hair cortisol in comparison to salivary cortisol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Salivary and hair cortisol measurements were performed in 37 subjects (31women, 6 men; mean age 34.0±10.6) who attended to a Coping Stress and Quality of Care Program at the University of Buenos Aires. Cortisol was measured at the beginning and at the end of the program. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI was used to evaluate state and trait anxiety.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In subjects who completed the program, no differences were observed in salivary cortisol levels between the first and the last session. However, in these subjects, hair cortisol obtained in the last session was significantly lower than hair cortisol in the first session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hair cortisol appears to be a better biomarker than salivary cortisol for evaluation of the effectiveness of a stress reduction program and it seems to be a better indicator of stress system dysregulation as well.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Darío
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azzara
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Esteban M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Repetto
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jamardo
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sabrina Garín
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mesch
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, INFIBIOC, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: bfabre@ffyb.uba.ar.
authors.forename: Bibiana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fabre
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001118:Argentina; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism; D011788:Quality of Life; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Hair cortisol; Salivary cortisol; Stress management